Psalm 23:4 Yea, 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.

To get to the straight point, without God there is always going to be emptiness, the threat of emptiness and aloneness, the anxiety of being all alone in this world. We know that friends come and go, family members perish or leave, our pets are here for just a short while, your children leave when they become adults, careers might end at any moment or you retire. Nothing in the world can remain a stable constant, and despite mind tricks and denial, there is no way around it.

All throughout the Bible, God teaches that “all in this world, indeed this entire world, will pass away”, but He remains. It is right there always, God is going to be the only stable constant, reliable always, never changing One. We never need to worry about Him passing away because that will never happen. We don’t need to worry about Him leaving, because He can’t. So without God in your life, you don’t have any real stable constant relationship which you can always count on. One where you can rest at ease.

Without God in your life, the anxiety of emptiness comes. You feel very alone because of the worry as you know people leave, things change, nothing can remain constant. People take their own life each day, because this feeling of emptiness and aloneness becomes overwhelming. The rich and famous are not immune to it either. They can every have every worldly pleasure and thing they ever dreamed of, but still fell mighty alone and pure empty. Why? Because they are without God.

I think God decreed the Christmas season to exemplify this feeling of aloneness. Because no other time of the year really hits home to individuals without God. The birth of Jesus is supposed to be the reason for celebrating, yet those without God cling to the world instead and know this is all temporary and fleeting or suddenly they are without a family member and become saddened. Thus the feeling of emptiness comes in like a tornado.

God said to Moses in Exodus 33:14, And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” What an awesome promise! And this “rest” God gives is not a euphemism or a cliché. It is a peace knowing that He is always there with you no matter WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS LIFE! The Creator of everything is with you, He remains stable, unwavering, so that peace comes like a powerful river which never ceases.

By having God in your life, and I mean REALLY having Him in your life, there is nothing to fear as Psalm 23:4 above states. It is not as if we won’t grieve losses in life, because we definitely grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones or a job for example, but what it means you are never going to be alone or empty with God there with you.

Are you clinging to others to FILL that emptiness and aloneness? That is like taking an aspirin for a headache which comes back time and time again. It is temporary peace which really isn’t any rest, because you know in the back of your mind this is all temporary. And what happens when you run out of that aspirin so to speak? The aloneness and emptiness is overwhelming!

Now try clinging to God first and foremost. Psalm 23:5 states “My cup runs over”. Which means you are going to be FILLED, not empty with God no matter what life deals you. You are able to function, move forward, get through a terrible circumstance, and never fearing because God remains with you. His promises never change, they are unconditional, and never waver. You THEN can live your life in that peace and rest! You shall not want, the Lord is your Shepherd now!

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, 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.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.