HEART MATTERS

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.  For I Am the LORD you God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”  Isaiah 43: 1b-3a

During our lifetime we each experience our fair share of tests, trials, and tribulations.  Life has a way of surprising us and it’s not always good.  Through the unexpected and unwanted challenges of life we often find ourselves sinking-everyday fighting just to keep our heads above water.  As we strive and struggle we lose sight of Whose we are.  We forget that we serve the Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient GOD!  Nothing suprises Him and nothing ever catches Him off guard.  In the most chaotic times of our lives the Sovereign Lord is in complete control.  As we feel battered and beaten by the torrenturous storms of life, the Lord who walks on the water is ready to save!

My pastor once said life is comprised of a series of mountain top and valley experiences. Like a roller coaster life fluctuates with its shares of ups and downs.  We all have our good times and bad.  Have you ever heard a pastor say “you’re either in the midst of a trial or headed towards one?” Grrrr-I never like hearing it!  Even a realist like me thinks that’s a bit of a negative statement.  But I understand where they’re coming from. Life is unpredictable, unstable, and unsettlingly at times.

Most people love a good roller coaster ride.  The higher the climb the more exhillarating the drop!  As we fly across the rails at amazing speeds the ride and all of its wonder is over before we know it.  With life-not so much.  While the roller coaster ride accurately illustrates the general pattern of life, it falls short when it comes to the details and duration of the problems of life.  Unfortunately our time spent in the valley usually lasts much longer than we’d like.  In fact, many times our valley experience feels like more than we can bear.  Therefore we spend most of our time in the valley struggling to get out.  We turn down every road we cross hoping that this will be the one that leads us out.  We attempt to make the vertical climb straight up the mountain that surrounds us without any assistance or support.  When we’ve exhausted all of our strength we find a spot to collapse resigned to barely surviving as we decide to accept our fate and cope with the consequences.

Whether we decide to struggle with all our might or merely to survive in the valley, either way we miss out on the most important reason we’ve been sent there.  Both approaches can cause us to miss out on a special encounter, an intimate journey, and a divine deliverance with our Savior!

The LORD will either deliver us out of the valley or HE will walk with us through the valley. Win/win right?  Right?  Right! (lol).  How can we forget what David said in Psalm 23?  (By way if you’re “going through” right now you should be living in the Book of Psalms!).  David said this about the valley: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4

The valley can be a scary place.  Fear of the unknown can cause our fight or flight mechanisms to quickly kick in.  However, as children of The King there’s no need for either. You see for us there’s yet another option.  It’s called Faith.  David was able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death without an ounce of fear.  Why?  Because he knew the truth.  He knew that he wasn’t alone-that he wasn’t left to himself.  He knew the Lord was right there with him, fully able to take care of any obstacle that crossed their path.  Like David when we’re in the valley we too can take comfort in the fact that The Good Shepherd is with us.  There is nothing we can encounter in the valley that HE cannot defeat!  Then why is it, you ask, that we even have to go through the valley’s of life? Why?! Because He has ordained us to!

It took me a while to realize that this is the verse that precedes Psalm 23:4:  “…He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” verse 3.  Sometimes the path of righteousness-the road that will lead to us glorifying His name-goes right through “the valley of the shadow of death.”  It is in the valley where we get to experience the glory of God and at the same time we get to glorify His name!

The LORD created both the mountains and the valley’s. The troubles in the valley can strengthen and prepare us for what we are to accomplish next on the mountain top.  In the valley we learn humility as we understand the importance of fully trusting and relying on The Lord at every turn.  In the valley we develop compassion as we take in all the ways He gently and precisely cares for us during our most trying times.  In the valley we’re taught to love as He leads us to take our eyes off of ourselves and consider the needs of others who are suffering.  In the valley we learn contenment as we realize as long as JESUS is with us we have everything we need.  In the valley we learn purpose as we realize there is nothing better than glorifying Him.

One of the reason I’m a big believer in journaling is because it gives us a chance to remember and reflect on our story-the story the Lord is writing for our lives.  As we go back and look at all the times we were in the valley and how He delivered us each and every time, we can confidently hope.  The same God who was there throughout and who faithfully saw us through before is able to bring us out again. The landscape of the valley may look very different but our God remains the same!

One of my valley experiences was when my youngest son was just a toddler.  He began experiencing joint pains that just stopped him in his tracks. My heart ached with worry as we went through test after to test and from specialist to specialist to rule out the most threatening of diagnosis’s.  I remember one night just sitting in the dark in my living room overwhelmed with sadness over my baby’s condition.  Although it was “so far so good” in regards to his testing, we still didn’t know what was going on with him. I  was emotionally exhausted.  It was like the darkness had overtaken me and paralyzed me with fear.  I was there just sitting in the darkness staring off into space when my son came in and crawled onto my lap.  He didn’t seem to mind the darkness of the room – he felt safe in my arms. But just then the toads outside began to croaking very loudly.  Their call and response croaks immediately startled and scared my son.  He turned around and almost put me into a choke hold (lol).  I said “what’s wrong sweetie?”  He said “mom that noise-it’s scary-I’m afraid.”  I smiled and thought he has no idea that those toads can’t threaten him in the least.  I almost laughed as I explained it was only toads.  I told him they were harmless and with that he quickly relaxed and resumed enjoying the quietness of my company.  It was then that the Lord spoke to my heart and said “Ahhh, Kirsten, your response to your son’s condition is the exact same for me.  I know it doesn’t pose a threat for your son, He is safe because of me.  What you’re dealing with is like the toads-it’s nothing and I know you have no need to fear it.”  With that a flood of peace overflowed me.  It wasn’t so much that the Lord told me he’d be okay, but that He reminded me that HE’s involved and in control. When I decide to draw the line with a test I considered too intrusive we learned that all he had was extreme growing pains.  They left just as quickly as they came.

This in a special marker in my life because with that lesson my faith was increased.  I believe I journaled it but if I didn’t it’s forever with me.  I recall it whenever I struggle with doubt and depending on myself in the valley.

Like those negative nancies I’ll too say- I don’t know if you’re in the valley now or headed towards one.  But I hope when you find yourself once again sliding down that steep mountain headed for yet another valley,you’ll exercise your faith and remember The Lord is there waiting to catch you and break your fall.  Reflect on all those times you found yourself in a valley, cried out to the Lord, and immediately He was there.  Think about the journey He allowed you to take with Him.  The lessons He taught you along the way.  Recall all the things He purged and removed from you.  All of the things He blessed and equipped you with.  Remember your purpose and how the valley did something to refine you for your call.  Rest in His arms as you rely on His providence, power, and peace.

In this life we have lots of things that can steal our peace-if we let it.  On this earth there are many things that can steal our joy-if we allow it.  So we mustn’t.  When we find ourselves in the valley all we need to do is what David said:“I will lift my eyes to the hills-From whence comes my help? My help comes fromthe LORD, Who made heaven and the earth.” Psalm 121:1-2

HEART TO HEART:  WALK THOSE PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS HE LEADS YOU IN – WITH HIM, THROUGH HIM, AND ALL FOR HIM!