Valley and Mountaintops

​I was in Tennessee for Thanksgiving a few years ago and during this time I was training for a half marathon. I got up on that Thursday morning for a 7-mile run before went to my aunt’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. As I was running, I ran up a hill and then down a hill, I did this for about 6 miles before I hit a stretch that was actually flat. When I returned back to the house, I thought man that was a hard running going up and down the hills. As I looked at the run on my GPS watch – I could clearly see the up and down of the route – you can make the analogy that it’s like the ups and downs that life brings. Sometimes we are on our mountaintops and sometimes we are in the valleys. The ease of the run down the valleys are like our mountaintops and the difficulty of running up the mountain are like the challenges in our lives. When we are on our mountaintops, things are grand.  When we are in our valleys, life can be tough.
 
The key is how we handle our valleys. How do you react to the adversities that put you in your valleys? You have a choice as to how you respond.  I am coming to appreciate the significance of this. How I choose to react makes all the difference in the world.
 
The Bible is full of reminders as to the nature of God and his love, power and steadfastness. Because we have God in our life, we can be assured that he will comfort us when we are in our deep valleys. Psalm 23:4.“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.” 
 
Sometimes we may feel distressed and troubled over our life circumstances.  God wants us to know that we are not alone though. He wants us to look into his perfect Word to be reminded of his nature and to guide us. Psalm 119:143-144 “Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live.” 
 
The attitude we have when we are in the trials and valleys of our life will make all the difference.  We can be anxious, and all stressed out or we can be trusting and at peace. A state on anxiety can cause a host of health issues and Inner peace is conducive to good health.
 
You can choose to be reminded of the nature of God and look into his Word to find scriptures that point to Him.  Or, you can try to cope with your valleys on your own in your own strength and in your own ways. I have been there, so I would not recommend it. It’s a matter of choice.  The resulting attitude and behaviors that follow will be based on your choice.