Pastor and author Adrian Rogers wrote this:
“Did you know that it is an impossibility of geography to
have a valley without a mountain?
They are beautiful complements in God’s grand creation.
The valley is the place of vision. It is the place of repose and reflection.
The mountain is the place of discovery and a place to become strong.
If you find yourself in a valley, it is because you have come down from a mountain.
The valley is the place of vision. It is the place of repose and reflection.
The mountain is the place of discovery and a place to become strong.
If you find yourself in a valley, it is because you have come down from a mountain.
If you’re on a mountain, you came to that place by way of
the valley.”
How do you deal with the mountains and valleys of “life?”
We all have days where we want to shout how great things are. Things are going
along pleasantly, and we feel good about ourselves and the world around us.
Then something comes up and we feel kicked to the curb, overwhelmed and that
this is just a horrible, terrible, not good,
very bad day. One minute we’re on the mountaintop and the next we’re passing
through that valley that feels like, as the writer of Psalm 23 writes, “The
valley of the shadow of death.”
The writer of
Psalms 41 must have felt like he was in a pressure cooker and couldn’t catch a
break. So he wrote from his heart the words of the Psalms as he sought to deal
with the stresses of his life. But one theme stands out. “God is our protection and source of strength. He is always ready to
help us in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
And he’s right. Think about it. In today’s world can seem
next to impossible to just catch a break. But there is some truth to how our trust in God can make all the difference in
how we are able to handle the things that may happen to us in life.
We feel we are
stuck in the valley and no end is in sight. Nations are in an uproar. Mankind
seems to be falling apart. Our personal lives are under attack from many sides.
But we, as Christians, don’t have to be stuck in a valley. The God of the
Valley is also the God the mountaintop.
Do you realize
what the Psalmist is saying? He seems to be saying that in the middle of
everything he has decided that he will no longer let his life be filled with
stress and anxiety. Why? It’s for one reason:
“God is my refuge and my strength."
I wonder if we
have forgotten how to relax. We are so wrapped up in what’s happening around
us. We feel we must tell others how to live their lives. The psalmist says
later, “God says, “Stop fighting and know that I am
God! I am the one who defeats the nations; I am the one who controls the
world.” (Psalm 46:10)
God is always
near and available to us. God is always available and concerned with what we
have to say. Some of our problems may be superficial, but others are deep. God can
and will help us. So talk to Him! Then listen to Him through His Word find out
what he has to say!
God’s power is greater than anything this world can offer.
He alone controls the wind, storms, earthquakes, and volcanoes. There is no
greater power. God’s power is sufficient to win the victory over all the
enemies that come our way. So don’t be afraid to ask for His help.
Always remember this: Whether we at the peak of a mountain or whether we are in a valley. God’s help works even when we can’t help ourselves. Remember as we climb up the mountain, as we reach the peak, everything around us is a valley. And at the same time when we are in a valley it looks like we could never climb out. Everything around us is a mountain.
Always remember this: Whether we at the peak of a mountain or whether we are in a valley. God’s help works even when we can’t help ourselves. Remember as we climb up the mountain, as we reach the peak, everything around us is a valley. And at the same time when we are in a valley it looks like we could never climb out. Everything around us is a mountain.
Have you felt weak lately? Have you felt like there are
too many stresses and that you’re about ready to explode? God’s help is
available, and all you have to do is reach out for it, and grab hold.
If Jesus is not Lord and Savior of your life, please realize that He wants you to come to Him, accepting His love, receiving His forgiveness, and becoming a part of His family. God is with us in the valley and on the mountaintop. Don’t wait another day.
If Jesus is not Lord and Savior of your life, please realize that He wants you to come to Him, accepting His love, receiving His forgiveness, and becoming a part of His family. God is with us in the valley and on the mountaintop. Don’t wait another day.
