Three Things to Remember About the Valleys
By Rick Warren
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4 NIV).
In Israel, on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, there’s a canyon called the Valley of the Shadow of Death. In his day, King David probably traveled through it many times. Some of the canyons along the Jericho Road were narrow at the bottom and as tall as 800 feet. The only time you can see sunshine at the bottom is when it is noon and the sun is straight overhead. In the Bible, valleys are often a metaphor for difficult times, times of darkness, despair, defeat, or discouragement.
Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (NIV). The Bible teaches us that God is God not just a part of our mountaintop experiences. He is also with us in the valleys. There are three things you need to remember about the valleys:
Valleys are a part of life. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 11:11, “The land you will soon take over is a land of hills and valleys” (NLT).
Valleys are inevitable. All of us just came out of a valley or we’re in the middle of one right now or we’re headed into another one, because that’s life. You can’t avoid valleys. Instead, you can count on them.
Valleys happen to everybody. They’re impartial. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people. We’re in a fallen and broken world, so we have problems. Nobody’s immune. Nobody’s insulated from pain. Nobody sails through life problem free.
“The good man does not escape all troubles—he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one” (Psalm 34:19 TLB).
Valleys are unpredictable. You can’t plan them. You can’t time them. Problems typically catch you off guard. In fact, your valleys and your problems come usually at the worst time—when you don’t have time, when you’re unprepared, and when it’s inconvenient. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could schedule all your valleys in life—when you’re caught up on your sleep, your health is good, and nobody is bugging you?
Proverbs 27:1 says, “Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring forth” (NLT).
When you know better what to expect when it comes to the valleys of life, you know better how to prepare for them.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Transformed Complete Audio Series
Get Transformed this year!
Do you want to experience a real transformation from the inside out? Then you have to spend time listening to God’s word. That’s why we compiled the Transformed Complete Audio collection.
These eight messages from Pastor Rick Warren are sure to help you draw closer to God so you can experience the abundant life he designed you to live.
You’ll hear messages including . . .
• Setting Personal Goals by Faith
• How to Get Closer to God
• From Stressed to Blessed
• Change Your Life by Changing Your Mind
• How to Deal With How You Feel
• Facing the Fears That Ruin Relationships
• Transforming How I See and Use Money
• Facing Giants in Life and Work
The complete Transformed audio series is our gift to thank you for your financial support of Daily Hope, so please request it when you give below.
This collection is perfect for your audio library or to share with a friend or family member.
Thank you for your generosity to help more people learn, love, and live God’s Word!
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
