This is Felicia Ferguson with Christian Mix 106, helping you build faith for the journey.
Psalm 23 is a Bible chapter that most every Christian has memorized—especially if they grew up in the faith. But recently, I began to think about “walking through the valley of the shadow of death.” According to author and writer instructor James Scott Bell, there are three types of deaths characters can experience. There’s the obvious, physical death. But then there’s a professional death, which could be losing a job or even what the character feels called to do in life. The third death is psychological. If a character cannot overcome a challenge or experiences a traumatic change in their worldview, then they will quote die inside.
If these different types of deaths are true for fictional characters, then they are also true for real life human beings. Because art imitates life. We humans experience not only physical death, but also job losses, deaths of dreams and relationships, even deaths of who we thought someone else was.
Characters have an author who writes their story and helps them work through the deaths they experience. But you know what, so do humans.
David wrote in the 23rd Psalm that “Even though I walk through the shadow (that is even the threat of) death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.” God walks with us through everything we face in this life. He comforts us, he protects us. He has a plan and a purpose for not only the deaths we face, but also our lives.
He can and will provide a new job, or redirect a calling. He’ll open doors for new relationships, or a new dream or plan. And even physical death for believers only lasts a nanosecond as we take our last breaths. Because he provides us eternal life.
So matter what type of death you may be facing, or have faced, trust that God is there with you in it. And that he does use everything—even deaths—for good.
This is Felicia Ferguson. Thanks for listening to Christian Mix 106.
