Peace in the Valley

Mountain tops can be overrated sometimes. Sure the view is fantastic and it's always amazing how far you can see from a mountain top but the the valley isn't such a bad place to be either. We like to say things like, I'm going through the valley right now, or I'm down in the valley right now as if the valley is a bad place to be.

Let's compare some differences between the valley and the mountain top...

1. The top of the mountain is windy, the valley is calm and peaceful.


2. The view is great looking down, but it's just as spectacular looking up.


3. On the top of a mountain it's lonely, but in the valley there's company.


4. The risk of falling and getting hurt is far greater on the mountain top than in the valley.


5. There's no way to go but down after reaching the mountain top, but you can always move up when your in the valley.


6. On the mountain top we're exposed, in the valley we're protected.

You know it's really all in the way you look at things. Is your glass half empty or is it half full? Once I had a supervisor that had informed me of an upcoming program that we were taking on. The changes would be difficult to communicate and execute and I guess my attitude toward the new changes were reflected by my words when I said. "Do I have to do this?" He said, "No, you don't have to do it, you get to do it." Well that made me chuckle but I've often thought about the difference in how my attitude can change in just the way I decide to look at things . How do we handle stress? How do we handle difficulties and set backs? How do we handle new challenges that come our way?

We often look at our stress or mishaps as being in the valley, but it's only when we're in the valley that we look up, isn't it. When we're on top we look down, when we're at the bottom we look up. Look up to God and seek His face. He's there waiting for us to ask for His help. The valley can be a wonderful peaceful place if you see it from God's perspective.

Isaiah 32:18 says... My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.