Sometimes when I am having a particularly challenging day, I take five minutes and mentally look back at a play-by-play of my life. In visualizing the many peaks and valleys of my journey as a daughter of God, I am reminded of two simultaneous truths.
First, the peaks are those joyous times when most things seemed to be going right in my life. These were times when it was easy to feel God's presence because I could so tangibly see His blessings poured out in my life.
The valleys are a whole other matter. Those were my rough-and-tumble times—times of disappointment, heartbreak, and loss. These were the times that, even though God was intimately present, I had a hard time seeing Him in the midst of the chaos.
And yet, when I take a moment to do my play-by-play, I can begin to grasp the fruit of those valleys. I see myself emerging from them as a stronger, more trusting, more resilient woman. I see my more deeply rooted faith, less shaken by strong winds and more willing to look to the Lord in confidence.
I'm grateful for the valleys as much as the peaks.
Today's First Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy (see Deuteronomy 4:32-40) is Moses' own five-minute play-by-play for the Israelites. It's his wake-up call for them, a gentle reminder that the Lord God has been with them through every one of their own peaks and valleys.
Are you in a peak or a valley today, or perhaps somewhere between? Are you able to see and hear the work that He is doing in your heart? In your workplace? In your family? In your school? In your neighborhood?
Let's pray today for the ability to be more like Moses, more aware of God's saving presence in our lives. Let us fix in our hearts, just as Moses did, that whether we are shouting joyfully from a peak or feeling like we're slogging through a valley, He is with us. Truly nothing so great has ever happened before.
I'm grateful for the valleys as much as the peaks. // Karen SchultzClick to tweet
This priest talks on when things are difficult and how to not feel sorry for yourself.
Karen Schultz hails from the Land of 10,000 lakes, where she is often found in or near one of them. As a doula, lactation educator, and FertilityCare Practitioner, she finds joy in helping women to embrace the gift of their bodies. Downtime is found in quiet adoration chapels, farmers markets and gardens, listening to bluegrass music, and embracing the diversity of Minnesota’s seasons. She is a contributing author to our Works of Mercy Study: Misericordia. You can find out more about her here.
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