COPING WITH THE VALLEYS IN OUR LIVES

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”
(Psalm 23:4)

MEDITATION:
If we were to be totally honest, all of us have had times when we
are in a valley. Sometimes we are there due to making bad decisions;
sometimes we are there as a result of the actions of others; sometimes
we don’t even know the cause, but we know we are in valley.

It can be a devastating time which can drive us to actions that are
not normal for us. Sometimes we go into a shell; sometimes we want
to blame others; sometimes we become angry and/or depressed;
sometimes we….(fill in the blank). We can become so emotionally
distracted that we fail to look for, and find, the right source for
what we need.

When we are in a valley, we can learn from the psalmist. No matter
what was going on in his life, he knew the Lord was his comforter.
He knew that when the Lord was by his side, he could continue as
the person he has always been, because he had the help he needed.

Not only did he avoid pitfalls of his condition, but he thanked the
Lord for being there. Look at the depth of his appreciation for
the Lord’s presence in his life:
    – The Lord would guide the psalmist.
    – The Lord would give the psalmist a feeling of completeness.
    – The Lord would help the psalmist to be relaxed and become
       refreshed.
    – The Lord would help the psalmist stay on the road of
       righteousness.
    – Even when things are at their worse, the Lord would be there
       for the psalmist.
    – The Lord would squelch the fears of the psalmist, which could
       deepen his valley.
    – Knowing the Lord’s rod would provide discipline and His staff
       would lift him out of troubles, would give the psalmist a special
       peace in his life.
    – When surrounded by adversaries, the Lord would sit down with
       the psalmist.
    – The Lord would provide relief to the psalmist whenever he was
       feeling ill.
    – The Lord would assure the psalmist that he is loved regardless
       of how he is viewed, or treated by others.
    – The Lord would fill the psalmist with goodness and acknowledge
       the good in him, even if others could not see it.

Because of his overwhelming appreciation of how the Lord reads his
heart, and how He blesses him in amazing ways, the psalmist was
dedicated to following Him forever. He was comforted in knowing
that he would eventually spend eternity with the One who loved
and cared for him now.

ACTION:
Valleys are created in the midst of mountains, and the goal is to
climb one of those nearby mountains. Finding ourselves in a
valley probably means we were formerly on a mountain. Things
were going great, but suddenly……something happened.

Maybe you are in a valley and looking for help. You have tried
everything you can think of, but you are still in the valley. Learn
from the psalmist and go to the best source for help. Rather than
becoming frustrated by placing your dependence on others, look
for satisfaction in the One who knows your heart, and loves you
the most.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for knowing me better than
anyone else and for being able to give me exactly what I
need in all circumstances. Thank You for Your love and
how You comfort me when I need it the most. Knowing
that You are with me, gives me peace, comfort and assurance
that You know my needs and can fulfill them when no one
else can. The magnitude of Your love for me and Your
knowledge of the good in me, is more important than anything
else. Teach me how to look for the good in others. Help me to
use the talents and spiritual gifts You have given me, to serve
You for the rest of my life in whatever capacity You have
chosen for me. Your love comforts me!”

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com