Perhaps you have heard this beautiful song:
My God is awesome He can move mountains Keeps me in the valley Hides me from the rain My God is awesome Heals me when I’m broken Strength when I’ve been weakened Forever He will reign!I have heard that song many times and love it. So much strength and truth imparted in those words. But this time, I saw something different than I had before. Just like reading God’s Word, even though you have read it 100 times, the Lord will show you something unique, if your heart is sensitive.
Keeps me in the valley.
Normally when we think of this phrase, and the valley, we are thanking God that He takes care of us in the valley. He walks with us through the valley, through our trials and tests. We compare the valley to difficult times and seasons and are grateful for a loving God who never leaves us nor forsakes us. All of this is true and relevant.
But what if the Lord KEEPS us IN the valley?
In other words, what if He wants us to STAY in the valley for a while? He keeps us there, not just taking care of us, but causing us to stop, to pause in the valley, in our circumstance so He can teach us.
The valley is not always a place of doom and gloom; it is rich, lush and fruitful! There is water there, life-giving water for our body and soul. Many dictionary definitions tell us that a valley is a low area between hills, often with a river running through it. Water is life. Water is sustenance, strength and refreshing. Jesus said, “But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14.
Before we can dance on the mountaintop we must go through the valley.
Why am I in the valley?
There are many reasons we could find ourselves walking through the valley. It could be all about spiritual warfare; our enemies are not flesh and blood, we are fighting principalities and darkness in the spirit world!
It could be something that someone else has done that has put us in the valley. A rebellious teenager, a wayward loved one, a tragedy, financial distress, job loss; there are many things that may force us into a valley experience but we can overcome, and even prosper, through this temporary season.
Maybe we are the reason we are in the valley; possibly rebellion of our own, stubbornness, rejection, anger, jealousy, and even being unwilling to forgive. All of these will cause us to walk through the valley.
What is in the valley?
Jesus is there. Strength is given, wisdom is imparted. Knowledge is increased.
This is usually a quiet time; you can hear the whisper of the Lord because you are sensitive to His voice. You are listening for an answer, or possibly a Word, to understand your circumstance. If an understanding doesn’t seem to arrive, then rest in the confidence that He is in control and He is guiding you through this time of depth and richness in His presence.
There is Grace in the valley.
Forgiveness and renewal for past wrongs can all be taken care of in the valley! We take time to focus on our strengths and weaknesses, asking God to point out things that need to be dealt with…and we actually deal with them right then and there. “Every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill shall be brought low.” Luke 3:5. We can attribute this verse to the fact that when we conquer the valley there is nothing we cannot accomplish. We come out stronger and wiser than when we entered.
The valley is the only way to get to the mountain.
Once we are back on the mountain, we may realize why the Lord took us through that particular valley. It might not have been just for us! We may need that wisdom and experience in the future to help someone else through their own valley.
The valley is temporary.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Psalm 23:4. We don’t live in the valley, we walk through it. Sometimes it takes longer than we want it to, but rest assured, He is orchestrating it all.
You will have trouble in the valley if your faith is based on emotion instead of the Word of God.
Focusing on circumstances and feelings will only leave you frustrated and you will miss the beauty of walking alongside the Lord in the valley. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23:2.
And the ultimate? “He restores my soul.”
Jesus KEEPS me in the valley to restore my weary soul! We cannot avoid heartache and suffering in this life but if we believe in Jesus Christ, we can approach the valley with confidence knowing He is not only there waiting but He will renew us, restore us and revive us; giving us a reason to dance on the mountaintop.
Even in a pandemic, which surely seems like a permanent valley to us all right now, Jesus is there, He has not forgotten us, He has NOT forsaken us. Use this time to draw up close beside Him, hear His voice, rest in His presence. He is in the valley!
Are you going through a valley experience right now? Have you been through a difficult valley but overcame with the help of the Lord? Feel free to share with us how God is helping you to learn and grow through this season. Others will be strengthened by your testimony!
I agree, Beth, definitely relates to Messy Marriages! thank you for your thoughts 😉
I so resonate with this post, Nannette, and I think that’s because I am in the “valley” right now. I am so glad that you explained that the valley isn’t a punishment or a place we should not want to be. I think this also is true of the messes in marriage. I’m so thankful for the way God has taught me through the messes I’ve done/experienced in my marriage–then redeeming the wounds and hurt in a way like only our God who is “awesome” can! No other path would have grown my faith like that. Thanks for an inspiring word and I think I’m going to have that song running through my brain all day today!
So very welcome, Stasia. So happy you visited today. God bless you in the valley!
Love that song, Betty! He’s still God in the night! Praise the Lord. Blessings, friend! ♥
Good thoughts! Even in the valley of the shadow of death…He is there. Someone else mentioned it is just a SHADOW, not the valley of death. Love all of the extras we are getting here! Blessings, Joe!
Thank you so much! I visited your blog…so lovely. Blessings for including this post. I pray it touches someone. ♥
Beautiful. I dreaded it too, Floyd, for years. And I have lived in the valley the last several years…hopefully this time I have grown and learned and even gleaned. I agree, we need the valley! Love how you said the enemy is still there but I am good because I see His hand in my life. Blessings.
Love this! thanks for sharing 🙂
Love this post, love the song, makes me want to sing, Life is easy, when your up on the mountain and you’ve got peace of mind like you have never know. Then when things change and you down in the valley, don’t lose hope, for your never alone. for the God of the mountain, He still God in the valley, when things go wrong, He ‘ll make them right and the God of the good times, He still God in the bad times and the God of the day, he’s still God in the night….Praise Him, praise Him
You’ve got me thinking about Psalm 23. The psalm starts with talkingoflying down in green pastures and being led beside still waters. To me, this sounds like a lush valley. Green pastures are usually in a valley and still waters are almost always in a valley.
But then He speaks of the Valley of the Shadow of Death…this doesn’t sound like such a nice place…and it’s not…i’ve traveled through a few of these valleys…
Yet we’re assured that even here, He is with us…comforting and guiding us with his rod and staff…
That’s good enough for me!
Thanks for sharing!
I mentioned this post in link up party #14 at somuchathome.blogspot.com.
God bless.
I’ve given much thought and study to the “valley” in the last five or six years. I dreaded the valley. I wanted out of the valley. We know that God can march us around the valley or raise it higher than Everest, but we need the valley.
His glory and sovereignty are revealed to draw others to Him as they witness our lives in the valley, as He prepares a table in before us in the presence of our enemies… and they can’t harm us.
I finally realized that in the valley is where I rely solely on my Father. And when I do, regardless of the world, I’m in the best place I could ever imagine. The enemies are still all around me, but I’m good in the valley. For in the valley I see His majestic and miraculous hand in my life.
I don’t think we get to go out of the valley until we get the point that you’re making here, Nannette. There is rest on the mountaintop, but the best rest is in the palm of our Father’s hand.
Heading over to read your thoughts on the subject, Heather! Thank you for stopping by! ♥
Thank you, Sarah Ann! It IS temporary, that is a good thing, another mountain is in view! Blessings ♥
Amen, De, I am like you. I am not always appreciative of the valley when I am LIVING there. 🙂 Thank you so much for stopping by. Blessings, I am your newest follower…love your blog!
Hi Cheryl! So good to hear from you, I haven’t been visiting like I need to the last few weeks. Hopefully I can get around the circle soon. I am praying you are nearing the end of your valley and will be dancing on the mountaintop soon!! ♥
I love this view of the valley. The valley is where there is water and lush grass, where we go to be nourished. So often we think of the valley being dark and desolate, a place of trial and grief. Really, in either case, it’s where we meet God and do the most growth.
Beautiful! I love reading posts like this. Like you, I love finding something new in a song or a verse of scripture. God has a way of doing that, and I love when it happens!! Please come link up these beautiful posts at somuchathome.blogspot.com I host a link up each Wednesday and it runs all week, so you can link up most any time. I hope you will visit me. Thanks so much for writing this beautiful post!
God bless.
OK, as a testament to where I’m at right now, I actually did read your blog title as KEEP me IN the valley, because that’s where I’ve been this year. In fact, just today I once again blogged about it, and asked for more prayers. So, this was a timely message for me. But yes, I am also finding a gratitude for this time in my life. For in the valley my faith is being forged stronger, refined by the testing. And that is a good thing.
You’re right, there are some special revelations in the valleys that God gives to us. And these are well-worth the sometimes dark and lonely road we travel.
GOD BLESS!
Thank you so much for this! I am currently discussing mountaintop and valley experiences on my blog so this was a wonderful addition to my thoughts. Thanks so much!
What a blessing to find you through Motivation Monday! I am in the valley, again, and this changed my view of the valley! I know that God is faithful to use my trials for his glory if I let him and that he is my hope and strength, but sometimes those valleys seem so dark and so removed from the mountain tops. Thanks for refreshing my spirit and reminding me it is temporary! I am a new follower. Blessings from http://faithalongtheway.com!
I love the reminder that it is precisely in the valley where we find nourishment: springs of water, lush flora, fruit, etc. are only in the valley; not on the mountaintop. I am grateful for each valley experience in my life (though oftentimes, not so grateful during the midst of it!). I found your post/site through http://writtenreality.com/motivation-monday-week-108/. God bless you!
Oh, dear friend! How I needed your words today! Our valley experience has been long and hard to walk through. But, the precious spiritual lessons we have gleaned and are gleaning could not have been learned any other way than to just walk THROUGH them, as you said. We are looking forward to reaching that mountain top, and I am sure that once we get there, the valley trials will seem less daunting and much smaller from the view up there. Through the valley, we have found God to be faithful. I think often of the three Hebrew children and how Jesus was IN THE FIRE with them. He did not walk out ahead of them. He stayed until the fire had served its purpose, then He walked out at the same exact time they did. That awful fire served only one purpose…to burn off the ropes that were binding them. These valleys, these fiery furnaces, they are for the purpose of purging our dross and making us free in Him to walk forward and fulfill the calling He has placed upon each of our lives. So very thankful for you and the consistent blessing and encouragement you are to me. I love and appreciate you! 🙂
Great post with some new insights into the valley experience.
I must confess that when we sing the song in your post, I sometimes substitute “pain” instead of “rain”! Either way, it can minister in its beauty,and encouragement.