Valley people in a mountaintop culture

The Valley!

We like using this term a lot, primarily in church. You’ll find it in worship songs and commentaries because we love and worship a God who loves using the valley.

I understand “the valley” as difficult time, situation, or circumstance (usually spiritual, mental, or emotional), that lasts a significant amount of time.

When you’re anxious and feeling discouraged in your faith – that’s a valley.

When you’re in a pit of depression – that’s a valley.

When you’re stuck and feel God’s not moving and speaking – that’s a valley.

I’ve seen my church go through a valley season, I’ve witnessed my closest friends and family have season tickets to the valley. I can anticipate my descent into the valley, and it has both shaken me and brought me to my knees more often than not.

I used to wonder why there are so many valleys in our lives. But the reason for so many valley moments isn’t difficult to comprehend – God uses them for our growth. The more we press into our faith, the more valleys we come across.

The problem, however, is that we are valley people living in a mountaintop culture.

I hate to break it to you but we aren’t mountaintop people. We aren’t always passionate, in control, and set.  We aren’t always praised and inspired and ready. It’s easy to believe in God when everything is great and you’re having a mountaintop moment. But what about in the dark? What about the times when you feel like nothing is moving? How can you grow your faith when it’s not so pretty and put together?

There’s going to be hard moments, that’s certain. Overcoming them is like a rite of passage in every person’s life. The valley tests our hearts and strengthens us.

The question isn’t “Will there be hard stuff to come?” or “How will I bear it?” The question is, “How can I embrace the pain that makes me grow? How can I say “YES” to the tests that make me a better person?”

This isn’t to say there won’t be mountaintop moments from time to time. We get a good amount of these moments that blow our minds. Just like Peter had mountaintop moments, we likely will too. We will experience crazy moments with God and other people where our faith is on fire, we are consumed by his purpose, our hands are sweaty, and we promise ourselves we will never ever be the same. But a lot of times, we have these mountaintop moments to prepare us for the harder times to come, when we will need a faith reserve to get us through.

We detest the valley and yet Jesus leads the way in Luke 9:37

He comes down from the mountain and propels towards the people with compassion and humility. He’s God. He could have easily just stayed on the mountain showing off his glory and splendor. We aren’t made to live for the mountaintop – we are meant to take what we learn from the mountain and apply it to the work we do in the valley.

The valley isn’t something to ignore, it’s not the time for ‘take this away from me’ prayers. I frequently say ‘take it away’ prayers, even though they rarely work.

You’re going to want to go through painful stuff because that’s where the best comes in. That’s where your faith gets refined. That’s where your heart becomes tender, pure and gold.

The valley does not mean you’re in isolation and confined, it means your growth is precious to God. There is purpose in the suffering.

The valley doesn’t just produce good stories, it produces character.