ARE WE LOOKING FOR JESUS IN THE WRONG PLACES?

 

Part 22: The Valley of the Shadow of Death

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

As we have travelled with Christian through The Pilgrim’s Progress, we have seen him face one difficulty after another. He has come to the Cross, climbed Hill Difficulty, experienced the consequences of his carelessness, and found fellowship and instruction at the Palace Beautiful. In the last post, we followed him into the Valley of Humiliation, where he faced Apollyon and fought for his life. Christian has come through that battle, but his journey is far from over.

Bunyan now takes us into the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and the description he gives us is quite frightening. Christian is faced with darkness, dangerous paths, a deep ditch on one side and a dangerous quagmire on the other. He struggles to keep to the right path because he cannot clearly see where he is going. The danger is not always visible, and he cannot be certain what lies ahead.

Before Christian reaches the valley, however, he encounters two men who are running away from the road. Their names are Timorous and Mistrust. When Christian asks them why they are turning back, they tell him that lions are ahead and that they fear for their lives. They have seen the danger and have decided that the journey is no longer worth continuing.

Christian listens to them, but he does not turn back. He continues on his way, even though he too is afraid of what lies ahead.

I think there is something here worth considering. Christian has just fought Apollyon, and now he is warned of another danger. He could easily have decided that he had endured enough and that turning back was the sensible thing to do. But he knows where he is going, and the fear of what lies ahead does not change the direction in which he has been travelling.

We have to be careful when listening to the experiences of others. Their fears may be genuine, and the dangers they describe may be real, but that does not mean we should allow their fear to determine our own direction. We must examine what we hear against the Word of God. Christian's decision to continue is not based on a belief that nothing can harm him. He continues because he is committed to the journey.

When Christian enters the valley, the darkness becomes so severe that he struggles to find his way. He encounters dangers on either side of the path, and Bunyan describes how difficult it is for him to proceed. There are times when Christian is so troubled that he does not know what to do next.

This is quite different from his encounter with Apollyon. There, he could see his enemy and fight back. Here, he is walking through darkness, unable to see clearly what is before him. He cannot fight an enemy he cannot see, and he cannot avoid every danger when he does not know where it lies.

I wonder how many of us have experienced something similar in our own lives. We may find ourselves in circumstances where we cannot understand what is happening, and the harder we try to make sense of things, the more confused we become. We want answers, but they do not come. We want to know what lies ahead, but we cannot see beyond the immediate circumstances.

It is in times like these that we must remember what Scripture teaches us. David wrote in Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” David does not say that he will never walk through the valley. He acknowledges that he will, but his confidence rests in the presence of the Lord. He proved that in abundance when he faced Goliath.

There is a difference between knowing the road is dangerous and believing that we have been abandoned on it. Christian is in the valley, but he has not been abandoned. He must keep moving forward, even when he cannot see clearly.

There have been times in my own life when I have wanted my great heavenly Father to show me exactly what was happening and where He was taking me. I wanted answers, and I wanted to understand why certain things were happening. But I have come to realise that I cannot always see what lies ahead. What I must do is return to His Word and allow it to direct me, even when my circumstances leave me confused. I do not always understand what Jesus Christ, my Lord, is doing, but I am learning to trust my great heavenly Father and His Word.

Bunyan describes Christian's fear as he continues through the valley. At one point, he hears voices speaking against him, and he becomes so distressed that he struggles to know what to do. Yet he remembers the words of Scripture, and the words of David bring him comfort as he continues his journey.

This brings us back to the question we have been asking throughout this series. Are we looking for Jesus in the wrong places? When we find ourselves in darkness, do we look first to our circumstances, our feelings or the advice of others, or do we turn to the Word of God? Scripture does not promise that we will always understand our circumstances, but it does give us instruction on how to walk through them.

The Word of God is not simply something we turn to when life is going well. It is our authority when we are confused, discouraged and afraid. We may not have all the answers, but we have been given God's Word to guide us.

Christian continues through the valley, and as he presses on, the darkness eventually begins to lift. He has not turned back, and the danger has not persuaded him to abandon the journey. He has endured a difficult part of the road, but he continues towards the Celestial City.

I do not claim to have mastered this in my own life. I am still learning to trust my great heavenly Father when I cannot see the way ahead. But I know where I must turn for instruction, and I must allow the Word of God to direct my steps.

As we continue with Bunyan, Christian will meet another pilgrim on the road, and we will see how their journeys come together. For now, we leave Christian having passed through another difficult part of the journey, reminded that the darkness of the valley does not mean he has lost his way.

Signing off

Tyrone

Scripture References: Psalm 23:4; Psalm 119:105