Would you agree most people prefer the mountain top experiences in life over the valley experiences? We tend to call our weekend retreats mountain top experiences… those times when God speaks to us or reveals something to us about ourselves that mark us for life.
I used to work with Young Life when I was in college. I remember taking a group of students to Awanita Camp for a weekend retreat. They were encouraged to get alone with the Lord and talk with Him about the message. The leaders were encouraged to walk through the camp and make sure the only person they were alone with was the Lord.
As I walked up towards the cabins an arm reached up and pulled me down. It was one of my girls who had been struggling that year. She said “I finally get it.” “What?” I asked her. “Look up there,” she said “at the mountain range. It is so simple to see when you are looking for it. You can’t have the mountain tops without the valleys. They are both necessary and the same is true in life.” She certainly had a profound revelation that not only stuck with her, but with me also.
In 1 Samuel 17 we find the Philistines and the Israelites up on opposite hills with a valley between them [verse 3]. The Philistines have Golaith, who is over nine feet tall and covered in enough armor to bury a man [verses 4-7]. None of the Israelites want to venture into the valley, because it looks like they would be destroyed. There is no hope in site. For forty days Goliath has tormented them, describing what he will do with them if they enter the valley [verse 16]. Then David comes onto the scene. He is a shepherd, not a soldier. He hasn’t had any training for battle in the king’s army, but he isn’t afraid. He is offended by the enemy spewing lies about God and God’s people. He takes a stand and brings to the table what he had fully confident God will make up the deficit [verses 34-37]. David chose to reject the enemy’s lies and embrace what he knew to be true about God [verses 45-47]. David knew all he had to do was step out in faith, because the battle was God’s [verse 47].
While the mountain top is great, we cannot live life on the mountain top. At some point, we have to come down into the valley, but there is great blessing in the valley. Even though God speaks on the mountain top and He reveals things to us on the mountain top, He does some of His most amazing work in the valley. He brings great victory in the valley [verses 48-49].
Are you willing to come off of the mountain top into the valley? You will never go there alone. He will not leave you nor forsake you [Deuteronomy 31:6,8]. He will bring you victory if you will place your confidence in Him. Are you willing to take a step- a leap of faith- with Him into the valley?