“He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” – Psalm 23:3-4.

HAVE WE EVER taken those two verses together, rather than look upon them as separate themes? What often strikes us when we read, “He leads me in paths of righteousness…” is a picture of tranquillity and prosperity, but have we ever wondered when reading this Psalm, that such paths of righteousness may take the way of deepest darkness as mentioned in verse four? I can hear David say, “Even though Your paths of righteousness may lead me in ways that baffle me, I will not be afraid, for You have not only ordained such paths; You are walking these very valleys with me.”

What goes ‘against’ our ideals is actually working for us an incomparable glory; what seems to be working in reverse against our wishes is setting us in motion to be filled with joy inexpressible.

These paths of adversity are the very means of God’s Spirit sanctifying us and the ways of Christ’s imparted righteousness realised and felt in our lives. We already have the imputed righteousness of Christ that is now being realised in the actualities of life. God’s rod and staff of correction and healing are His ways of saying “All is well” – no matter how ill your circumstances may look. That is what brings comfort. He is in control of what you cannot fathom or explain at present but will soon unfold His ways of mystery to something wondrous to be told.