Things may never return to exactly the way they were before. People have lost their jobs; businesses have closed; and many of us have loved ones who’ve gone on to be with the Lord. We have to realize that, in light of everything that we’re dealing with, God is still God. He is God when we see Him doing powerful, mighty, and wondrous things on the mountain; and He’s still God in the midst of the valley, in the midst of trying times of struggle.
Jesus experienced both. He took some of His disciples up to the mountain, and they saw and experienced the glory and presence of God. Jesus experienced the valley in the Garden of Gethsemane where He realized His destiny of self-sacrifice and said, “Lord, take this cup from Me.” So, even Jesus experienced God on the high mountain where everything was wonderful, and God in the low valley where life challenged His faith. His impact on the world stemmed from the decisions He made both on the mountain and in the valley.
People are deciding whether or not they’re going to stay married or continue their businesses, and making all types of important life-altering decisions. I challenge you to make decisions based on the Word of God and not based on what feels right. Make decisions that will cause you to be in right-standing with God, and don’t allow your emotions to be on the pedestal of your life.
The mountain references the place of revelation where you receive insight and inspiration; it is a place for us to meet God. On the mountaintop, Jesus knew that God’s tangible presence was there. God began to speak to Him in that place, and gave Him insight and understanding. God also wants to meet and speak with you on the mountain to give you wisdom and insight.
We all love being on the mountaintop, the place where we can feel God’s presence, hear His voice, and follow His lead; but the valley is quite different. Every one of us will go through valley experiences in our lives. Those experiences are simply a part of life, but they are temporary. Here’s the good news about being in the valley—God is right there with you! When issues seem to come out of nowhere, or you get news that a loved one is terminally ill, you know what? That’s the time to remind yourself that God is with you and He never leaves you alone. This is important because the valley is where many battles in the mind are fought, where grief, sorrow, and depression try to get us to quit and throw in the towel. I want to encourage you because you have the tools of victory to prevail and overcome! Decide today that quitting is not an option for you.
God has a plan to reveal His glory in you and give hope as others see how you walk with Him through the valley. Someone else’s mountaintop breakthrough may be relying on the testimony of how you got victory in your valley experience. You have to make up in your mind that you’re going to replace the negative with the good. I had to replace negative emotions, sadness, and gloom with words that were full of joy, laughter, and peace when my father was in the hospital and ultimately passed away. I had to remind myself that God was right there with me when I first got the call, and He is still God in my life today. I don’t know what you’re dealing with, but trust and believe that you are not alone. He will see you through it because our Father is the God of the mountain and the God of the valley.
