Are you in a valley?

Psalm 23 says, 'The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures... Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me...'

The 'valley of the shadow' is more literally translated as, where the light of the sun is cut off. I want to tell you: wherever you are, whatever your trial, no matter the problem - even if you feel the light of the sun is cut off - God will not fail you. He says, His rod and His staff will comfort you, and you will come safely through.

I really feel at this time that people need a lot of comfort. I’m very disturbed that the number of young people in Britain suffering mental problems has more than doubled under lockdown and the pandemic. For me, it is my Christian faith that has always kept me strong. You may look at me and think, “Everything goes right for him.” No! I’ve had cancer twice, I spent a year in a Russian-style communist prison, and many, many other things. You ask questions, you begin to think, “Why me?” How did I end up in prison?! I saw the prisoners around me in despair – I prayed with them, witnessed to them, shared the Gospel with them. But for myself I sought the Lord and asked, “Why? Why am I here?” But even then, I realised I was in the prison for a purpose, and that God would work something out through it. The miracle of my release after only one year by British Prime Minister absolutely changed my life! It may seem strange to you, but when I look back, I simply say, “Thank God for that year in prison!” My life as it is now, without some of the tragedies, would never have been what it is today. The prison, that throat cancer, that lung cancer – all changed my life.

I want to encourage you to seek the Lord in a new way. I know we are going through difficult times. Throughout my life I’ve been through difficult times. But through it all God has always made a way of escape, that’s His Promise. 1 Corinthians 10:13. In your greatest difficulties, God makes a way through.

I have the absolute certainty of the promises of God’s Word! I want to encourage you. When you are praying, go to the Word of God and let God speak to you. Let God Himself speak to you through His Word, and give you your answer, as He’s always done for me. God bless you.