Strength In The Valley
Sometimes, when I’m feeling weak, I ignore the valley I’m walking through.
I take my eyes off of the pain and I fight to focus on the good things. I try to resist being pulled down by the weight of my wounds and mentally walk across to the places where I feel strong and stable. The places where I feel like I’ve got the strength and answers and security - or most of it.
These places are where I feel like I understand what God is doing and therefore it doesn’t take much faith to rest there. What I didn’t realize is that this greatly affects my ability to walk through the difficult valley I’m facing.
If I stop making my way through it, I stay in the same place. There is no progress, there is no pruning, there is no changing there is no turning - If I don’t move through the valley.
Every time I cower or run in the opposite direction - it’s a version of setting up camp to stay put. I shouldn’t be surprised to look up and realize there’s been no progress, no healing, no growth. I can’t ask God to move the mountains I don’t dare to face. How can He be my strength if whenever I require His - I run away because it’s something I can’t handle on my own?
When it’s something that feels unbearable to my mind and heart, Ignoring feels like safety even when it’s not. Taking my eyes off of the fight builds ignorance and passivity. How can He train my hands to war If I leave the battle grounds? How can I walk in His victory if I am dwelling in defeat?
There are valleys that hurt to think about, hurt to talk about, and hurt to move through because they feel so much bigger than I am. God is gently expressing to me that He knows these valleys better than I do. He is my way through the valley. He doesn’t abandon me or walk away when things are hard. He doesn’t want me to rely on my own strength or power to push through.
Leaning on Him is the key to experiencing His strength make way into my heart and mind. He is the one enabling me to get through it. How beautiful His heart is, that He would give the weary his strength to get through the valleys.
The valleys don’t go away if I ignore them. Those wounds I’m trying to ignore, He carried all of them.
He defeated all that could ever try to stand in the way of my peace and healing and breakthrough.
You are His child and He loves you so much. He cares to the highest capacity about all that you are facing. He is fully present and available in this very moment. You don’t need to avoid what’s weighing on your mind.
You don’t need to save the painful areas of your life for an indefinite “later”.
He’s with you right now, extending his grace and presence to you for the valleys you’re walking through right now, and the ones you’re saving for later.
You can’t get through it if you don’t go through it.
If this is daunting, fear not. You have a shepherd that is holding your hand, guiding your step, speaking His tender words of love to you. He will enable you to get through the valleys.
Psalm 23:4 English Standard Version
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.
Deuteronomy 3:22 English Standard Version
You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.
Psalm 121:1-2 English Standard Version
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 18:31-35 English Standard Version
For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?— the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.
