Right now I can feel myself coming out of a valley in terms of my fire for God. These cycles of hills and valleys used to confuse and frustrate me beyond measure. I would dive into a new book of the Bible and be on top of the world with a high you can only feel when you are in the presence of God and then a few weeks later I would find that I would be in a valley again void of that high when I read the Bible, and frustrated because I didn't know how I got there. I felt like I wasn't doing good enough as a Christian if I was in a valley and I didn't understand that I was there for a good reason.

     The hills in my life have been characterized by God revealing Himself and His plans for my life in a way I would have never imagined, and me praising Him for it. Hills are easy for us to comprehend because they are good and usually new paths or beginnings or areas of knowledge for us to dive deeper into the knowledge of God, but valleys are a little harder for us to understand. I think, God gives us valleys for us to 1.) look back on when we are on the hill and see where God has brought us up from, 2.)Strengthen our faith through suffering, and 3.) Prepare our hearts for the hill.

     Looking at the time period or situation that you would consider a valley in your life from the valley doesn't do much good because you can't see the big picture or the end result. Its like looking at the Grand Canyon from the bottom, you only see walls around you and not the beauty of the landmark that you get from the arial view. On our hills we are able to remember our prayers of deliverance and our hopes for the outcome and then see how God answered them 10x over and in a way completely different than the way we thought He would. The valley gives us a more grateful heart on the hill.

     Life's valleys also strengthen our faith. "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope" Romans 5:3-4. Paul tells us in these verses that we are to look at our low points as a path to perseverance, character, and hope. Jesus's life was one characterized by suffering and as Christians we are called to reflect Christ and suffer as He did. We welcome suffering so we can live as Christ.

     The valley also prepares our hearts for the hill. The best thing we can do in the valley is to be still and stop trying to fix everything ourselves. We will never be able to and frankly it wastes our energy and frustrates us to try. But, if we surrender our control to God and find our satisfaction in Him, we will be ready when its time for Him to lead us out. We aren't called to just sit and wait however, we are called to continue serving Him with obedience even though you may be doing it blindly. Obedience is never wasted and is what our new hearts are made to do. In the waiting, obey, because you want to be ready when He says its time for the hill.                               
 
 
   This week I pray to be intentional in my thinking and obedience no matter where I am. I know that I am called to live a life of obedience and I pray for a heart that yearns to obey, not just actions that obey. No matter how high the hill or how low the valley, remember that you were not placed there on accident and you are not alone either. Look to God in submission and stillness in the valleys and praise God for His goodness, answered prayers, and will far better than your own when you find yourself on top of a hill.

Love in Christ,

     We serve a God of love and gentleness and mercy, but we also serve a God of might and justice and deliverance. Some people like to pick...