I’ve always loved the mountains. Their sheer size is breathtaking. I love their craggy high edges and their steep terrain. I love the abundance of nature that can thrive in the mountains.
I was recently reminded of a hike I went on in Montana. The hike started in the beautiful meadows of a valley. We could see that we were surrounded by enormous, exquisite, snow-covered mountains, stunning wildflowers, and a brilliantly blue lake from the valley. This beautiful, serene trail quickly turned into a steep, rocky terrain where we were absolutely covered in bugs.
As we were trekking up the mountain, we often thought about turning around but decided to press on. When we finally reached the top of this mountain, we were not very impressed. I mean, we just endured this steep trail where bugs were swarming our faces and getting stuck in our hair to realize that the valley was much more beautiful than the destination for which we were working.
I often think when we are in the valleys of life, we are blinded to the beauty that is around us, or we think that the apex of the mountain will be so much more beautiful. But valleys have their purpose. Without valleys, there would be no mountains. When we are in the valleys, that is when we are in the perfect position to look up and see God’s greatness. A couple of verses in the Bible give suggestions for how to find God’s goodness in our valley.
Psalm 121:1:
“I lift my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth.”
When we are in a valley, that’s when we have the opportunity to look up for Him to help us make it through the rocky terrain. When we are in a low season, focusing our eyes on what is above is where we will find the beauty in our mess. Instead of looking at the long trek ahead or focusing on all the things we have to do to get to the mountaintop, we get the blessing of just looking to Jesus for help.
Psalm 23:4
“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.”
Sometimes, those beautiful valleys quickly become steep, rocky, and covered in bugs, and we wish we were back in that valley instead of enduring the new hardships. When the valleys are dark, and we can’t seem to see the mountaintop anymore, God is with us, guiding us and protecting us. His guidance and protection are more beautiful than any mountaintop experience I can fathom.
The mountaintop experiences have their place. Looking from the mountaintop, you can see the journey you have taken. Looking from the mountaintop is proof that you pushed through the hard times.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
The valleys teach us that God is always working, even when it doesn’t feel like it. The valleys also make us enjoy those mountaintop experiences just that much more.
Sometimes valleys in life don’t look beautiful when we are in the moment, and sometimes we are blinded by looking forward to the destination rather than looking at the beauty God has given us in that valley. Regardless, God is still good in the valley. He is still working, and the beauty of His plan is still there.
Kristie Brothers
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#kristiebrothersblogs
