Monday, January 31, 2011

Learning in the Valleys

I don't really understand why sickness, disease, job loss, or broken relationships happen to us. But it seems that within my circle of friends and influence there is always a handful of people dealing with some hardship like this. Sometimes I am the one struggling through a valley.

In the midst of the struggle our vision is blurred if not altogether blinded. We can see only the immediate need but I think it would be helpful if we could see beyond the valley. Just like driving in fog is easier with low beam headlights than with high beams, we tend to focus on the near, of which we are the center.

I know a person who almost is through a series of treatments for a terrible disease. As I walked through this season of life with this person I heard him tell about lessons he was learning while in this valley. Lessons about material things and how to treat others and what is really important. I hoped the lessons in the valley would mold this person into one more closely modeling the character of Jesus.

Now he's beginning to act like his old self again. If that's the case, he didn't apply what he learned in the valley. Maybe he didn't really learn anything after all. Unless we have reached perfection in Christ-likeness, we should not emerge from the valley our same old self. We should be different. We should be more like Christ.

God may or may not cause the hardships a person experiences. For sure, he allows what he does not directly cause. For sure, he is present in the valley. Whatever the cause or reason for your passing through a valley, be sure to leave the old self behind and come away from your troubles having applied what you learned in the valley. Let the valley be the opportunity to become more like Christ.

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