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A verse of Psalm 23 became particularly meaningful to me

My Bible: reasons to believe in the power of the Bible

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‘A verse of Psalm 23 became particularly meaningful to me a few years ago when I was at University and I was attacked and sexually assaulted by a member of staff. That led me to a very dark place. I felt very alone and very abandoned by God – why am I in this place, why did he let this happen to me and where is he in all this? 

‘A Christian friend gave me a notebook with verse 4 on the cover – “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.”  She was supporting me through everything that was going on – the police investigation and everything. But it was just having that book there and I would see it when I woke up. It was a reminder that God didn't say that life would be perfect, but that he would comfort me in that dark valley. 

‘I was very afraid at that time. I was afraid of leaving my room. I didn't go out – and the words “I will fear no evil” really spoke to me. I needed to put my trust in God and seek his comfort. 

‘On the back of that I got a lot of help. I developed an eating disorder and I got help for that. And the words of the psalm kept coming back to me – having that physical way of seeing it every time I woke up, every time I was feeling suicidal, I could look over and see Psalm 23 verse 4.  

‘I never stopped believing, but for a while I stopped seeing God as there to comfort me. I needed reminding that God cared for me as an individual. 

‘It didn't go perfectly – the police investigation was dropped, and I've had people say some very unpleasant things. But my relationship with God is stronger than it was before. When you lean on him and he leads you through something you just have a deeper connection. 

‘I felt called to ministry from a young age, but that was a time of feeling, “Has too much happened to me, am I too broken to go into ministry?” So I'm really grateful for God's healing. I can really see his plan for my life again.’

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