Valleys

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 God leads us into valleys! Often times we view valleys as terrible lonely places to get into. And that is true, in a way. But as the main verse says "I will fear no evil, for you are with me..." God will lead us into valleys, because valleys are a place of GROWTH! Get this! When the Jews were taken captive and taken to Babylon, Babylon was situated in a Valley! God sent them there to grow, it was a hard place for them, but it was the only way they were going to grow and come back to God.

Another important Valley of growth can be found in 1 Samuel 17:1-3, "¹Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. ²Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. ³The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them." Recognize this valley? This is David's valley, the valley where he faces the giant Goliath! God grows David here, he makes him known to all the Israelites. After he slew Goliath the king, Saul took him into his service. Anything Saul asked David to do, David did, and everyone became fond of him!

David and the Israelites went through valleys in their lives, so will we. The honest truth is, that even though valleys are dark and frightening, even lonely and draining, God will still be beside you and guide you, sometimes even carrying you. And if there is one thing i've learned its that when you come out of that valley and turn to look, you will see all the beauty there you hadn't noticed before.

You see in reality without valleys we would never grow. We would never get close to God, and if we stick with God and really worship Him, those valleys will never be deeper than the hole He had pulled us out of! And when we come through we will thank God for being with us, or should anyway. Because on the other side is a new green pasture, with fresh water to drink and restoration for our soul(Psalm 23:2-4).


Derek