I don’t know if you know this or not, but there is hope in the valley.
I feel like I should say that, [or type that again]: there is hope in the valley. Whatever valley you are walking through right now, just hang on!
I can count on one hand the number of valleys that I have felt like I’ve walked through over the last several months, and I gotta be honest, valleys suck. Can I say that?
But really though… Am I right?
If you’ve ever walked through a valley then you know what I’m talking about.
Valleys can make you feel all alone. Like no one understands what you’re dealing with or gets it.
And, as if that isn’t bad enough, your senses are heightened, and you become more aware of all that’s going wrong in your life. You tend to narrow in on your inabilities as your insecurities come to surface, bringing about more discouragement and despair.
Now, I could go on and on and talk about all the negatives of valleys, because, there are many. But, that would make this blog super dry and really depressing, and there’s enough of that in the world right now. So, instead, I want to spin this around real quick.
I want to tell you about the hope that I’ve found in the valleys. If you’ve ever gone through a valley, one of two things has likely happened—you’re either still in it, because you’re stuck or you’ve just begun (not so fun), OR, YOU MADE IT THROUGH! Congratulations!
But don’t skip out just yet because it’s likely that you’ll walk through another valley at some point in your future, or maybe even more than one!
Now, a lot of people tend to focus on what happens after you’ve gone through the valley, but I want to encourage you with two thoughts about walking through the valley.
I love what the Psalmist says:
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 23:4 ESV
Did you catch that? The author uses the phrase, “Even though.”
Even though I walk through the valley, I won’t be afraid. It’s not, “I won’t be afraid because you’ll protect me from going through the valley.” No, instead it’s, “even though.”
“Even though” it feels like my marriage is falling apart…
“Even though” my mom is sick…
“Even though” my son is struggling with addiction…
“Even though” I lost my job…
“Even though.”
What he’s saying is that I might be IN the valley, but I don’t have to be AFRAID because there is HOPE in the valley.
Isn’t that incredible?
As I write this, I feel like I’ve been walking aimlessly through a valley for a while now. I could blame it on the Coronavirus, or the 750-mile move that my husband and I made roughly 2 weeks before the world shut down to slow the spreading of this awful virus.
But, I think there’s more to it than that. And I feel like writing this blog and a few others that you may come across is part of the reason that I’m walking through this valley.
So, if you’ve made it this far and something else hasn’t caught your attention yet, then I want to share two principles with you for those “even though” valleys that you and I walk through.
- When you walk through the valley, you aren’t walking alone.
It might feel like you’re walking all by yourself and that no one understands what you’re going through. It might also feel like there’s not a person on this planet who understands how long you’ve been going through it, but rest assured today. When you walk through the valley you don’t have to be afraid because the Lord is with you.
I have to remind myself of this promise from time to time and it always jolts me back to a posture of peace. My husband may not understand the things I walk through or the way that I feel walking through it, but Jesus does!
Take heart, regardless of how dark and lonely the valley seems, you are not alone. The living God is right by your side and He will never leave you.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV
There is no valley too low that you will ever face on your own. The Lord goes with you and His promise is that He will never leave or forsake you.
And can I just add that God is fully aware of how you got to the valley in the first place and He cares deeply that you’re IN that valley.
I don’t know about you, but there isn’t anyone else that I would rather walk through a dark valley with than Jesus. He gets it. He understands what you’re facing because He’s walking right in step with you.
When you go through a valley, you can be certain of this, there is hope in the valley because you aren’t walking alone!
I can recall coming to the end of a valley, seeing the end right in front of me, and then eventually getting through that valley, and have felt so excited to be through it. Finally!
But, what I can’t recall almost ever in my life, is walking through the valley and feeling like it’s a been good journey! Right? I mean, who does that? Who walks through the valley and is grateful to be walking in that dark and depressing valley? Heck no!
But, even though, I walk through the valley, I have hope.
- When you walk through the valley, you can be victorious.
Wow!
You don’t have to get all the way through and on the outside of the valley to experience the goodness of victory in your life. That’s powerful!
You can experience victory right in the middle of the worst valleys that you’ve ever felt like you were in.
Sometimes, we want to just shut down, curl up in a ball, and wait on death to take us completely out while we’re in those valleys. But, I want to challenge you to fight that urge because you can have victory right in the middle of the worst valley.
Now I know this may not sound very fun but check this out, what if we started thinking about what God can do in and through us WHILE WE’RE IN THE VALLEY?
It was in a valley that David defeated 18,000 men, and the Bible says that he found success while he was in a valley.
And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people.
2 Samuel 8:13-15 ESV
David experienced a great valley experience. He conquered 18,000 men and came out of the Valley of Salt feeling so legit. And the rest of that passage that we just read says that God gave him victory wherever he went.
What if your success on the other side of the valley that you’re walking through is directly related to your success in the valley?
Here’s what I know to be true when I walk through a valley, it’s never just so that I can take the scenic route, right? I can’t say that I have ever set out to vacation in a valley. No thanks!
I mean, there’s obviously something that I need to learn while I’m going through it. And if I’m being honest, most of the time, I’m too busy complaining about walking through it, to focus on what I need to conquer or defeat while I’m actually walking through the valley.
But, what if I could stop complaining for like 2 minutes and listen to the Holy Spirit and learn what I need to learn, while I’m actually in the valley?
What if my breakthrough came while I was in the valley? What if my healing came while I was in the valley? What if I began to see my family being restored while I was going through it?
You may not ever conquer 18,000 people in the valley, and if you do, then I want to hear that story! BUT, there is likely a battle for you to conquer while you’re in the valley.
And, I know what you’re probably thinking, “I’m already tired and drained walking through this valley! I can’t even imagine going to battle.” But, let me remind you that you are not walking alone.
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 23:4 ESV
So, listen, don’t despise the valleys just because they’re dark and scary. The Lord is with you wherever you are and whatever you’re dealing with. You can have hope in the valley that you’re walking through, and you can be victorious while you’re in that valley!
I’m praying for you, friend, that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to the reason that you’re going through the valley, and not so that you can just feel better about knowing why, but so that you can have victory in the valley! I pray that you would know that there is hope to be found in the valley. Whatever the reason… However you may have gotten there, may you know there is hope in the valley!