Mountain Highs and Valley Lows
Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough….
I don’t know about you, but it seems like every time I have a mountain top experience with God it is quickly followed by a valley experience.
These valley lows can leave me doubting, fearful, depressed, or maybe even angry. These valleys, if I am not careful, can lead me down a path of selfishness and self-pity.
I can quickly forget the mountain top experience I just had with God. I can become laser focused on my negative perception of the valley. The valley leaves me feeling all alone.
On the mountain it is easy to see the providence of God. It is easy to feel His presence, therefore easier to surrender and trust in that sacred place.
The valley though is sometimes harder to see His mighty hand at work. We can often feel like we are trudging through thick mud with no support to pull us through.
Psalm 139:7-10 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Whether in humbled awe of our majestic God on top that mountain or in desperate pleading on the floors of our valley, God is there. He does not settle just on the mountain tops but He bends down and meets us in our valleys. He is a God who longs to carry us through every step of our journey with Him.
Don’t allow the valley to pull you away from God’s presence, but rather use that time to lean in to His loving arms. No matter how hard the walk feels, allow Him to be your strength to put one foot in front of the other. He has not left you. If you open your eyes and focus on Him you’ll see His footsteps just before you.
Our God is sovereign. He knows our valleys before we reach them. He goes before us to set a path for us to follow. If we focus on Him we will see that path, if we focus on the depths of our valley, the path seems treacherous.
The valley floor is not the most comfortable place to be, but it is usually the best place to be taught. Embrace the journey through the valley and allow God to teach you the lessons that will only be learned in the valley of life.
Keep your eyes on Christ and you will experience God’s care in the canyons, His grace in the gorges, and His love in the lowlands. The valley is our training grounds to strengthen our faith and trust in God. Our muscles only grow stronger when there is resistance straining them.
Whether you are on the top of a mountain or trudging the floors of the valley, know that our mighty God has gone before you and is holding you in His hands.
Father, thank you for always being a step ahead of me and setting a path for me to follow. May I keep my eyes on You and not my circumstance, whether good or bad in my perception. For You are on the mountain tops and You are in the valleys. I can rest in You no matter where life has me.