The mountain top is a place that everyone, in my
opinion ought to experience at least once in their lifetime. When I was about fifteen years old, I had the
opportunity of climbing Mt. Kilimambogo.
I remember climbing for what seemed to be hours on end, and not getting to the
top. My muscles ached, I was so hot, and out of breath *read unfit* haha.
Anyway, the climb was made much easier by the fact that I had good company. My
friends shared in the strain and the excitement, making the journey a little
more bearable. Finally, after what seemed like forever, we made it to the peak.
I can’t quite explain what it felt like. It was surreal! I quickly forgot how
hard and long it had been trying to get there. The air was so fresh, crisp and
cool. The view was breath-taking, and we just stood there taking in the vast
expanse of beautiful land surrounding us. It almost felt like my spirit was
soaring and at that moment I felt that I could accomplish just about anything!
We had an amazing day, that has remained clearly etched in my memory. The
journey back was…well, alright...in all honesty it was nothing to write home
about. Needless to say, I had swollen feet the whole week after our hike! I was
unable wear cute girly shoes- I could only wear sandals until my feet got back
to ‘normal’. It is no wonder that it
happened to be my first and last
mountain climbing experience!
I’ve always heard it said that the mountain top
can be compared to the Sunday mornings of life; the seasons that are easy and
leave you feeling exhilarated. These are
the times when everything seems to fall in place like clockwork. You’re usually
driven, and certain of your potential and your purpose, or at least you have a
pretty good idea of it. It may seem as
though you’re gliding through life, with ease and grace. There’s an amazing
clarity that comes to us when were on top of the mountain; we’re able to assess
things and calculate our next move.
But we quickly forget the struggle and strength it
took to climb that mountain. We forget how many times we wanted to give up, but
more importantly we forget the many other mountains we ought to climb that will
take just as much, if not more effort. Inasmuch
as we want to dwell at the peak, the truth is that inevitably we must descend
in order to ascend; and we overlook one very important and yet inevitable
place…the valley.
A valley is a depression on the earth, bounded by
mountains. It is more often than not said to be a lonely place; a place of
despair, and confusion. It is in the valley that the testing of our faith is
felt. It’s dark in the valley, because the mountains surrounding it and the
cloud cover cast a shadow on it. The psalmist David referred to his one of his darkest
times as the ‘valley of the shadow of death’…a place of great vulnerability.
The prophet Ezekiel was led by the spirit of God to a valley of dry bones. It
is barren and desolate in the valley. It
is that season in your life when little seems to make sense. You hear sermons
preached but they don’t stir up your spirit. You turn to your friends hoping to
get a word of encouragement and find that they have their own battles to fight.
Unlike the mountain top, the valley is not a place in which we like to dwell. It is uncomfortable.
But I recently came to learn something I had never considered
about the valley.
It’s not all dark and dreary -There is life in the
valley! Things grow in the valley, because there’s enough shade, and warmth,
and water. The environment is conducive
for some of the most precious things to grow. Grapes grow in the valley;
flowers grow in the valley…tiger lilies for instance. Our heavenly father is
sometimes referred to as the lily of the valley; beautiful and radiant.
In the valley our faith is tested, and it is in
the testing of our faith that we grow. Everything our mind has known must now
be exercised by our spirit. The valley is not as we have always thought it to
be; it is a place of fruitfulness. The testing of our faith bears fruit if we
trust that God is as present in the valley as He is on the mountain. We must
trust that He watches over us even in those seemingly dark days and walks us
through them.
Yes, the mountain tops are glorious and yes, we
could use a lot more of those, but beloved it is in the valley that you grow.
It’s in that pit that you learn to call on God and to trust Him with all your
heart. It’s in the valley that you not only find strength for yourself but also
for others who will sooner rather than later walk the same path; it yields
compassion. The valley brings brokenness that God in turn gives for wholeness,
mending and healing. God created the mountain top, and he also created the
valley, each with its own unique and significant purpose. He is ever present in
both, more so in the valley whose value we cannot comprehend.
It is in the valleys of my life that I have come
to the full awareness of my fears,
doubts, and many other issues that God wanted to deal with, but couldn’t because
I was caught up in the euphoria of the mountain top. He didn’t allow me to be
vulnerable in order to hurt me; He did it in order to mend me and make me
stronger. I thank Him for the victories, but I also thank Him for the failures,
the struggles…the valley that has constantly drawn me back to Him.
The next time your find yourself in the valley,
cry if you must, but remember that the testing of your faith produces endurance,
and endurance will carry you through any season of your life. In the valley you
will feel all alone, and even wonder whether God hears you when you pray. You
will be tempted to give up because of the rain that pours so insistently. But
remember that even in rainy, stormy weather there is light, and whatever God
has planted requires it; both the rain and the light. The valley is an
opportunity for you to be strengthened. It’s a place of preparation for your
next mountain, your next achievement. So
walk courageously through it, allow God to bring what He started to a
flourishing finish. May you find a renewal of your strength, your vigor, and your
faith.
Remember beloved, that there is life in the
valley!
Kambua M.
