Valleys and Mountains

Thought that I was all alone
Broken and afraid
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

And I didn't even know
That I had lost my way
But You were there with me
Yes, You were there with me

'Til You opened up my eyes
I never knew
That I couldn't ever make it
Without You

Even though the journey's long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who's gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I've been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

As I travel on the road
That You have lead me down
You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me
I have need for nothing more
Oh, now that I have found
That You are here with me
Yes, You are here with me

I confess from time to time
I lose my way
But You are always there
To bring me back again

Chorus

Sometimes I think of where it is I've come from
And the things I've left behind
But of all I've had, what I possessed
Nothing can quite compare
With what's in front of me
With what's in front of me

-Mountain of God by Third Day

There have been plenty of times in my life when I've felt "broken and afraid." And even though I didn't realize it at the time, God was there throughout the whole thing, because looking back I can see his big ol' footsteps in the sand. He was there guiding me, carrying me. I know there were times when I was lost, and He was there, though I couldn't feel Him.

I heard a sermon recently, and in it the speaker was talking about mountaintop experiences, and going through the valley after them. He explained that there were different ways of looking at a valley experience---you can be in the moment, looking at the valley, and wondering where the way is outta there, or you can look to that next mountaintop, and move toward it. It's all a matter of attitude and perspective. We can choose to wallow in our pain, soak in our despair, or we can say, "This is hard, but things will be better. God will You help me?"

But still, so often when we are going through something, we'll say, "If I only had this, things would be better." I have been guilty of that myself. But slowly I've begun to realize that all of the things that I think I need are nothing, and that the only thing I need is God. He's more than enough.

Jesus came and paved a way for us. It's not the easiest road to walk sometimes, but ultimately through perseverance and faith, we'll see that splendor in front of us. We'll feel that grace and love and might live and in person. How awesome will that be? Won't it make all of the struggles worth it?