Finding Beauty in the Valley
When God’s hand plucks you off a sunny mountaintop and places you at a valley entrance, your life will be thrust into a new reality. Fear will whisper that you’ll never reach the other side. Pain, anger and uncertainty will cast long shadows before you. In the darkness you’ll realize you don’t have what it takes to move forward alone. So be still. Wait with quiet surrender, like a stone with no capacity, until God draws near. When He rescues you, turn your gaze away from the darkness, and fix it on Him. When He offers His hand, cling to it and remember-His other one will reach ahead and prepare the way forward. As you walk He will shed just enough light on the ground for you to take the next step. Along the way, you will see blooming wildflowers, small proofs that beauty can be found even here. As the path descends, you’ll find deep pools—oases of refreshment at the lowest point. Up from the springs, hidden caverns await. They are rare sanctuaries. Rest in the silent peace they give you, for such quietude is a treasure seldom found. They will also shield you from lurking dangers. When you return to the road, and the end still remains unseen, God will not just hold your hand—He will hold you in His hand. There, in His safe keeping, you will discover true rest. At this stage, He will do what you cannot possibly do for yourself. Nothing will move you, until He does. Peace will settle in your soul and a new perspective will take root. Slowly, what plagued you at the beginning of this journey will loosen its grip. When you finally look back from the other side, you’ll see the treasures gathered along the way. What once seemed like the hardest season of your life might, by grace, become one of the most beautiful places God has ever taken you. Even if it felt like making it through took everything you had, remember: the struggles we face in this life are the worst we will ever experience–because Heaven awaits.
