God In The Valley

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

Genesis 28:15 esv

Nothing compares to being on a mountaintop. In the literal sense, everywhere we look, we see the skies above and vivid colors of the earth below. The sunrise and sunset can be breathtaking, and all feels right with the world. We might feel spiritually in tune, with God at the forefront of our minds. We praise and thank him for blessing us. We trust him and feel secure.

At other times, life throws us circumstances that can surprise and shake us. Negative thoughts and feelings invade. Fear. Sadness. Irritability. Anxiety. When negative emotions take the lead, we have to refocus, remembering that the God of the good times has not left us in the turbulent ones.

God is never off duty, never misses an event, and is never surprised (Psalm 121:4). So why is it that when we’re on a mountaintop, we can praise God, but when we’re in the valley, we wonder where he went? Maybe because:

• We lose our focus, we can become so overwhelmed and distracted by our challenges that we stop talking to God.
• We are disappointed with God, we mistakenly assume that bad things don’t happen to Christians.
• We forget our blessings, we don’t call to mind the things God has already done for us and in us.

Throughout the Bible we read of God’s people being joyful and praising him when circumstances were going well, then struggling and doubting God when they weren’t. Victory in the valley happened for those who remembered that God was still with them, and who sought his face even when things looked their worst.

God, who is everywhere, never leaves us. Yet he seems sometimes to be present, sometimes to be absent. If we do not know him well, we do not realize that he may be more present to us when he is absent than when he is present.

Thomas Merton

The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.

Helen Keller

Mountains, hills and valleys confirm the beauty of your holiness.

Euginia Herlihy

For Further Reflection

Psalm 121:1–2; Jonah 2:6; Isaiah 41:10

Today’s Prayer

Lord, thank you for meeting me exactly where I am. Please help me to keep my eyes focused on you as you guide me on a path forward. Amen.