“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
When you live near the mountains, it is rare to go on a run, hike, bike, or even a car ride in which a change in elevation is not encountered in one direction or another. This past week, some friends and I went on one of the most gorgeous hikes that I have been on in a while. Spread out over nearly ten miles, we underwent multiple terrain changes from the lush green meadows of the valleys to the rocky mountain tops. It seemed that there was a clear blue lake around every corner and we were stopped by one breathtaking view after another.
Though we can look back on how beautiful of a hike it was now, some portions of the hike were quite challenging physically in the moment. There were many sections that involved pretty steeps climbs and others that left us taking caution with each step as we descended over beds of rock. There were a few times when it seemed as though we were at the top, yet the climb continued, and then at the end, we descended down the other side of the mountain, knowing that it only meant that we would have to climb back up upon our return.
As we were climbing the switchbacks of the mountain side, I was thinking about how perfectly this hike depicted life.
There is flatland, there are valleys, there are climbs, there are descents, and there are mountain tops. There are times that take our breath away and times that leave us feeling like we are out of breath. There are times we walk forward with caution and times when we run without worry. There are times as vividly colorful as the meadow and others as dull as the rocky mountain edge.
As I considered all of these things, this exact scripture came to mind. I have been in conversation with multiple people recently who see a difficult season coming their way. They have parents whose health is declining, careers that are confusing, bank accounts that are dwindling, or jobs in the hospital, leaving them to stare the current increase of COVID-19 cases in the eyes and dreading the thought of reliving this past year.
It is not often in life that we can see a valley coming. We climb, and climb, and climb, and once at the top of the mountain, we enjoy the view. Our desire is to park ourselves on the summit of the mountain, and though it would take more effort to continue climbing the next peak rather than to descend into the valley – we would choose the climb 9 times out of 10.
Nobody WANTS the lowlands of life. Nobody CHOOSES to walk in the valleys.
As we followed the trail through the valleys of this hike, I realized that we could not see near as far out as we could from the mountain tops. We could only see that which was in the basin of each valley and I think that this is much the same in life. When we are drudging through the valleys, it is so hard to see our way out. It is so hard to be observant of the things around us or appreciate the blessings that continue to surround us. All we can see is that which is immediately around us and the big climb that we will have to conquer to get out.
But you know what every valley had in common? A water source; a constant flow of water. The river wasn’t flowing along the ridge line of the mountaintop, but through the valley. It was not the mountains peaks that held the lakes or where the meadows grew, but in the lowlands.
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me…”
The valleys of life WILL COME. God never tells us otherwise. Persecution, trials, tribulations, and hardships will come.
But just as the water ran through every valley on our hike, our true Source of Living Water will be with us through the valleys of life.
“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” (John 7:38-39).
Guess what? We get to read this in hindsight. Jesus has already been glorified through His life, death, and resurrection. God has given us the choice to believe and it is through our belief in the glorification of Jesus, that we can receive His Holy Spirit; the Source of living water within us.
For this reason, we can say, I will fear no evil. I will not fear the valleys of life, for You are with me. Even in the times that I can’t see my way out, I will not be defeated for you are with me. When the climb before me looks too big, I will not grow weary for You are with me. In the midst of the valley, I will observe the colors of the meadow and know that You are with me. I will come across the lakes and be reminded that You are more than enough; you lavish me in abundance.
Living this life is a lot like living near the mountains. You will encounter the hills, and the valleys too. Sometimes we can see the valleys of life approaching and other times, like a steep drop off of a cliff, they catch us by surprise.
But we don’t have to walk through the valleys alone.
Are you walking through a valley today? Do you see the descent coming? Are you approaching the climb out?
Fear no evil, for He is with you.
