Firstly, when the Christian is in the deep valley of the shadow, the sins of our hearts are paraded before us- sins of the past and false accusations for the future. We see sin as the beast that it is, ripping apart the life of the soul, and bringing pain and death. Our sins loom large over our psyche and the terror of reliving them crashes over our minds.

Secondly, when God’s child is in pain, the temptation to relate it to our sin is strong. We can see pain as the outworking of our sins and as punishment for what we do wrong. But, all our punishment was bourn away by Jesus, when He died for sin and fulfilled the requirements of God’s holy law, for our sake. Suffering is not so much visited on the bad, as on the good. God refines us through suffering and builds our character to be like His. Our sinful nature regards suffering as an undesirable state, but really, we are kept by God’s power in the middle of it. It is an opportunity to prove God, and build our faith.

But, One is near. He has fought the fight already, and we need never fear. The cross has been lifted high above the earth, and the Son of God has paid the dreadful price for us. Only He knows our inner being, it’s noble and ignoble aspects. He will subjugate our sin and fan into flame the rightness He has put there…

As we walk by faith, so our confidence and strength grows and we are made strong…