2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience and careful instruction.”
Have you ever been questioned about your faith when you have found yourself in the darkest of places? When we have lost our child, we find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death. It is hard to preach the Word of God, when we find ourselves in the season of the valley of death. When we ourselves are struggling, can we believe in this God who says He loves us and will comfort us? It is in this place of the valley that our faith can speak loudly and with truth even when we are struggling with our own brokenness. To answer someone questioning us about our faith in Christ during our time of struggle can not only influence the person asking, but can also strengthen our own faith. We can see John 6:63 come to life. “The spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing.” It is in the spirit we get our renewal to continue on. We not only encourage the one we are sharing with, but we offer encouragement to ourselves. We can once again tell our story of how God brought us out of our last visit to the valley below and brought us up to the mountain top. We might be in a place of emptiness, with nothing to offer but our stories. God has a way of taking that emptiness and using it for His glory. God knows our struggles when we are in this dark place. When we are faithful to share what we have seen Him do in our lives He will bless us abundantly. The way to the mountaintop is always by way of the valley.
Lord, what a great testimony we have when we are in the valley of death! When we are broken, our words to others who are broken have never been more powerful.
– Michele
