Mountains and Valleys

Imagine this: you’re standing on top of a mountain (or maybe kneeling down, heaving after an intense hike). All morning, you climbed the steep slopes, walked on what seemed like endless switchbacks, and traversed on upward with the motivation of conquering the mountain. The adrenaline and excitement of finally making it to the top after hours of work finally sets in.

You made it!

You walk over to an edge, and stick your arms out, and feel the gentle wind brush against you. You look around you and see that you can see practically anything and everything for miles. You even look down and see that green little valley that you once started in only a few hours ago. You remember when you began the hike; you looked up and thought “How am I ever going to make it there?” But slowly and surely, you went on your journey and finally made it.

 

The other day, God took me back to a time where I peaked a mountain, and gave me back that same awesome feeling of accomplishing something that seemed so hard and impossible at the time. He took me back to the time where I sat in the valley, and looked up to the peak wondering how I was going to do it. When I peaked that mountain, I felt awesome! I spent my whole day looking at the view and thinking, “If I could just live up here…”

But as each hour passed by, I saw thunderclouds roll in and knew my time was up. I was pushed back down to go back into the valley.

Everyone loves being on mountaintops. They’re fun, exciting, and you feel like you can do just about anything. However, despite the view and feeling, the ground is rocky, hard, and not fit for anything to grow.

However, in the valley, you aren’t feeling so great. You feel so small and that you couldn’t possibly take on the challenge set before you. You find yourself looking up at something so big wondering how you could even do that. Once again, take a look at the ground. Everything is green, growing, and so much life is happening. A river is running through the middle allowing the growth to happen.

If you are anything like me, being in the valley probably isn’t your first choice. It’s hard, and you feel like you aren’t going anywhere. You feel like a sitting duck. However, God reminded me that if my life were to remain on only the mountaintop then I would never grow. The climate isn’t right for change. It’s in the valley that we are able to grow into Christ’s likeness.

God plants seeds in us while we are in the valley and calls it forth to grow. From that little seed bursts forth roots and blossoms as it is watered and nurtured. We are the same way. We are in a place where there is nutrients to have our seeds grow and burst forward.

As you are looking at that last picture, take a look at one of the mountains. Look at the incline and journey up to the mountaintop. It’s green, huge, and unbelievably steep.

Just as someone who climbs mountains has a moment where they have to persevere and even become weaker, we too begin the journey upward. It’s hard and painful at times. You have to break down you muscles for more strength to come. That thing the Lord was growing in you while you were in the valley is now being tested, strengthened, and grown even more.

I am learning that if I continue to hate being in the valley, then I’m going to hate where I’m at for most of my life. Instead of being okay with where God has put me, I will find myself just coasting through life instead of getting what I can get out of each phase and season.

So, here’s my encouragement to you:

If you’re in the valley, enjoy it! God has planted something in you He wants to grow. It may not be your favorite thing and it may actually be painful and hard, but something beautiful is going come out of it.

If you’re climbing the mountain, keep persevering. On your climb, you are going to get stronger. In order to get stronger, you need to become weaker, but your endurance is building. That thing that God was growing in you is now getting some muscle and strength. And remember, the mountaintop may not last as long as you would like it to.

It is such a privilege to walk through the valleys and the peaks with our heavenly Father, and I am honored to be on this journey with you all.