As I sat and listened to my pastor talk about walking through the valley of the shadow of death, I was prompted in my spirit to give thanks to God. I have not walked in the wilderness as the nation of Israel did in the Old Testament. I do not know the pain of physical bondage or the hunger pains as they walked through the desert. However, there is something I have learned from reading scripture…the nation of Israel and David did not stay in the wilderness or in the valley. God brought them through an incredibly difficult time. They were never alone; they were never asked to do something God had not already done or was going to do in the future.

As many of you know, I have the privilege of drumming at Bethlehem Church. Pastor Jason has been preaching about emotional health and continues to address “hot topics” that our current culture is struggling to deal with. We live in a fast-paced world that has the capacity to overwhelm us and steal joy. I too have fallen prey to the pace of culture and have overbooked my calendar often trying to keep up with everyone else. We have a tendency to “keep score” as Pastor Jason says. We feel the necessity to be busy as everyone else or maybe, as I did, we feel the necessity to climb an imaginary success ladder. I found myself asking God to bless my endeavors instead of asking God what he really wanted me to accomplish for His kingdom.

It has only been recently that I stopped trying to manipulate God into believing that my plan for my life was better than His. I have found joy again and a better perspective on life. I am the first person to say, “God wants to do something through you today.” But I wasn’t a believer in my own statement. What I have realized is that the valley I was walking through God never asked me to walk through. Just like the nation of Israel, God never asked them to walk through the desert, but their disobedience put them there. My own disobedience to not trust God put me in a valley that I was not supposed to be in. Or maybe I was there for this moment. Maybe I was there so God could shape me more into His image and share it with others. However, I want to share some things that I learned from walking through a valley in hopes of helping others.

You are never alone in the valley. Israel was never alone in the desert/wilderness. David was never alone in the valley. Some valuable lessons I have learned is that God is with you always and He will put people around you to also walk with you. My wife has been incredible through this valley. She has her own perspective as a spouse watching her husband walk through the valley. Friends, family and my pastoral mentors have been a huge part of me moving past my valley. I would say God ordained many conversations that I needed to hear. I didn’t always want to listen to what was being said, but I also knew that these people cared and loved me or they wouldn’t be speaking truth over me.

I struggle with “keeping score”. In Mark 4 when Jesus was teaching about the four types of soil. While Jesus was explaining the parable to the disciples he tells them of the seed sown among the thorns. People hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. I must admit reading this passage I always felt I wasn’t this type of person. Recently God brought to my attention that I was that very person. “Keep score” lends itself to being that person. I noticed I was consumed with comparison and trying to attain a title/position. I was trying to manipulate God into my ideas. Instead, I found myself looking into the mirror and asking the typical “why God, why?” The answer he began to show me was in Mark 4. I was not ready or in a place to receive this rebuke from God.

Even though I was not in a place to receive what God was telling me I knew it was out of love and for my best interest to listen. There are plenty of scriptures that could serve as a reminder, but the scripture God was using sits on my desk. I look it at it numerous times a day. Yes, I was looking at it, although I was not living it out on a daily basis. Luke 9:23 says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” It can be so easy to make a stand or a commitment once. Jesus is asking for that commitment on a daily basis. When things are going great and life seems incredible it is easy to carry the banner of Christ-follower. But He is also asking for that same level of commitment when all the distractions of life are coming at you. In the midst of things not going well I had lost sight of the truth of God’s word. I thought I had to somehow manufacture a future for myself. In reality, God was orchestrating my life so I would become dependent on Him. In reality, I was lacking trust in what God was doing in my life. In reality, God has become my source of trust, love, discipline, encouragement, and Joy again. God was and is, what I would call, pruning me. It has been a painful process of getting rid of the thorns, but it has also allowed me to move past the valley. Pruning allows for growth. Getting rid of distractions has allowed me to look in the mirror and realize I am a child of God. Getting rid of distractions has allowed me to trust God fully again. Getting rid of distractions has allowed me to take up my cross daily and follow Him. Not trying to climb an invisible ladder or hold a certain position has freed me to fulfill what God has for me right now. Right now, I am a Christ-follower, husband, dad, and a drummer.

My prayer is that He would be the same for you. I do not know the circumstances you are dealing with, but I do know the person that walks with you through those circumstances/valleys whether you believe in Him or not.

Photo by Eugene Zaycev on Unsplash