Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4, NIV

Have you ever heard of Barnard 68? It is one of the most remarkable dark patches in the night sky. When astronomers observe it, they see something that resembles a black hole surrounded by thousands of bright stars.

 

Barnard 68 is not actually a black hole. It is a dense, dark molecular cloud of dust and gas that blocks the light from the stars behind it. It is so cold and dark that we cannot see what is happening inside it using ordinary visible light. And this is the fascinating part: It is within cold, dark molecular clouds like this that new stars can be born.

 

I believe we all go through Barnard 68 seasons in our lives. Those dark times when fear tries to overwhelm us and we wonder whether we will ever see the light again.

 

Perhaps you are facing uncertainty at work or you lie awake at night wondering how you are going to pay your bills. Maybe you are grieving the loss of a loved one, struggling with a broken relationship, battling illness, or dealing with the pain of loneliness.

 

In moments like these, it can feel as though a dark cloud has settled over your life, absorbing your joy, stealing your peace and making it difficult to see even a glimmer of light.

 

It is precisely in these moments that David’s words in Psalm 23:4 take on a much deeper meaning.

 

David does not say that we will never walk through dark valleys. He reminds us that we never have to walk through them alone. And just as new stars can form within dark molecular clouds, God can also bring something new to life within us even in our darkest seasons.

 

Sometimes, it is when everything around us seems dark that we discover God's character in a deeper way. We come to know him as our peace in the midst of uncertainty, our provider when we cannot see a way forward, and our comforter when our hearts are broken.

 

May you always remember that God will never abandon you. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, he is right there with you.

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise to be with me through every dark season of my life. Give me the faith to trust that you are still at work, even when I cannot see it. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.