Mountaintops and Valleys
Have you ever noticed that for every mountain there is a valley? If it were not for the valley there would be no mountain. I was reminded today of a verse that declares God to be the God of the mountain as well as the God of the valley. Unfortunately I could not remember the reference.
I have been living on the mountaintop for a while now and God has been blessing me tremendously. A few weeks back I was able to view Mt. McKinley, the tallest peak on North America at 20,320 feet. That's nearly four miles high and sometimes I feel like I am at the top. I have also read of the Marianas Trench, an undersea valley that plunges seven miles beneath the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Eleven miles are represented from mountaintop to valley depth. Even though I am at the top today, the plunge is inevitable.
The Christian life is made up of both highs and lows, but the same God rules over all. I can praise Him for the heights He allows me to see. I can praise Him in times of trials as well. The constant is that He is God and worthy to be praised.
Hebrews says that without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is developed in the valley. If there were no trials, no difficulties of life, there would be no need of faith. It is in the valleys that we grow as Christians. It is in the valleys that we learn to trust and depend on God. What we learn in the valley can be carried to the mountaintop.
No matter how spiritually high you are today, realize you can always go one step higher. We can always draw closer to God any time we choose. Realize though, that there will always be the valleys from time to time. There were times in the life of Job that God seemed far away. "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him." (Job 23:8, 9). No doubt there will be times in your life when you wonder where God is, but He is still there.
Job 23:10 gives us the rest of the story. "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Another reason to praise God in the valley--because He is refining His gold--you. As we patiently and prayerfully go through the valley, He will bring us once again to the mountaintop.The more we understand our God, the more we can trust Him in both the valley and mountaintops. Remember, He is the God of both.
Comments
AUTHORaimer,
Thanks for taking the time to read. Hope you get comfortable and enjoy your time here at HubPages. Thanks again for stopping by.
I'm new here but I wanted to comment and thank you for this devotional on mountains and valleys. It is so true. I know in my own life that my greatest times of growth are definitely in the valley. It is only because of the valleys that I can appreciate the mountaintops!
- AUTHOR
Yes, absolutely. I believe that even though we enjoy the mountain tops, we grow the most in te valleys of life. Thanks for the visit SusieQ.
It seems that valleys quite often follow the mountaintop experience. Makes us appreciate the mountains, don't you think?
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Cristina.
Great hub with great thoughts to ponder about. You have given a great parallelism between the valleys and the christian life. Yet even though we traverse through the valley of death God is with us. Thank you for sharing these precious truths about christianity . Blessings to you and your family. Best regards.
- AUTHOR
Sky,
Yes, I'm out for now. Thanks for asking.
Great devotion thank you for sharing. I hope you are out of your valley now.
- AUTHOR
TJ,
For sure I learn more in the valleys. I'm in a valley right now, but I know I'll be climbing soon. In the meantime, I just want God to show me His perfect plan and to be more conformed to His image.
I love it when God speaks to us in the things He created. 11 miles difference between the greatest height and depth is quite dramatic and so it is with life.
There is much to be learned and discovered in Him in both experiences but yes I agree I learn much more in the valleys when I cling to Him through difficulty.
Thank you LifeGate for a wonderfully written hub on mountains and valleys, we should know we can't have one without the other. thank again for sharing such a profound and waesome hub. Gold bless you. creativeone59
I relize a lot that GOD will always take care of things but, it is on his time not ours. I do like the way you put it together.
Nice hub, today. It is important for us to remember that even when times are tough, God will never abandon us :)
- AUTHOR
Thanks Jacobkuttyta,
That was the verse I was looking for.
Really enriching and encouraging hub.
1 Kings 20:28
The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.' "
Yes He is the God of valleys and hills.
Thanks
I think we all agree that we love the mountaintops where we can look out and see all around us. Down in the valleys we don't but you are right, those times will test us to see if we are still trusting the One Who walks with us even in the valley's. I am often reminded in the valleys how much He is my vital necessity. So I must be grateful for how He uses those to remind me. Thanks for the reminder.
- AUTHOR
RevLady and Rhondaroo,
Although true, isn't it a shame that we miss living so often?
Yes, keep the banner raised and go for the joy.
Raise the banner high!!! thank you for this hub, we can find pure joy where ever we are.
A delightful devotion and the points you make are so true. Because life today has become so noisy and complicated, we often miss living for trying to make a living. Thanks for accentuating the joys found in mountaintop experiences.
God bless you,
Forever His,
- AUTHOR
Prasetio,
I hope our spirituality increases as well. There's so much to life. I'm afraid we miss some of the best parts sometimes.
Very inspiring hub. I really enjoy the picture of mountain above. I hope by reading this hub could increase our spirituality side. God give us this complete with the beauty for free. This is the reflection of God power and we have to maintain this well. Good work, my friend. Thumbs up for you. ~prasetio
- AUTHOR
That's our God. He's incredible, MC. Keep reflecting!
This is incredible, lifegate, you struck a cord there. Some things are so obvious we don't always pause to reflect on them.
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