“VALLEY WALKERS”
“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 KJV)
It is this preacher’s personal belief, one based on my own life experience and that of virtually every person that I have ever dealt with over almost six decades in Gospel ministry, that EVERYONE IS A VALLEY WALKER, at least once in his/her lifetime. In fact, some seem to have walked in the valley a lot more than they have walked on the mountain top. And, each person, at least I can speak for myself and hundreds who over the years have sought my prayer and counsel, has moments when we cry out in desperation, “Why me, Lord? Why is this happening to me?” Immediately, someone is going to say, “Where is your faith? Why can’t you trust God?” The truth is (at least in my case and with most that I know) we are. We are simply having those moments when in the darkness, dreariness, pain and suffering of the moment the human spirit, weary and drained, responds. I must say to myself, and to you, “IT’S OK!” He knows us a lot better than we know ourselves! He understands! He cares and He is not going to forsake a single one of His children.
This heart talk, then, is designed to help each of us grasp the assurance that the Psalmist expresses when he said (to the “Chief Shepherd”) “I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME.” No, we cannot see Him, but HE IS WITH US. We may not hear Him, BUT HE IS WITH US. As humans, it is not difficult to assume, for these reasons, that we are alone in our valley experience.
A colleague, and dear friend, Dr. David Hernandez of
Joseph stood in the back of the church sanctuary filled with hurt, pain, and confusion as he stared at the large wooden cross hanging on the wall behind the pulpit. He slowly made his way up the aisle to the altar unable to look away from the cross. It had some kind of hold on him that he was not able to resist. The cross seemed to have a golden glow as the reflection of the overhead lights beamed down on the cross. Joseph knelt down and began to weep. Anger began to well up inside of him as he shouted at the cross, “Jesus, where are you? How could you let this happen to me? I’ve prayed over and over again and you have ignored my prayers! My wife doesn’t love me anymore and is leaving me for another man. My children are all living in sin and there is no hope. Where are you Jesus? Where are you?”
Dead silence filled the sanctuary. Fed up and bitter Joseph got up to leave when he heard three words, “He Is Risen!” It was then that Joseph knew Jesus had never left him but was always there especially in his time of need. New hope had filled his heart and he felt a new sense of strength enter his heart. All was not lost. He experienced the power of the resurrected Christ in his life. He was determined to press on in prayer for his wife and family. He was not going to give up or give in to the enemy of his soul. (End of story)
Joseph’s story is not an isolated one. There are many whose valley is exactly the same as his…marital and family challenges, the kind of pain that enshrouds a person, driving them to the absolute brink of despair, to “Wits End Corner.” The only person that can actually comprehend how dark is that valley and how excruciating the pain, is the person that either is going through it now, or has gone through it. As a side thought here (though it is related), someone has said (with regards to children), “when they’re small they walk on your pocketbook, but when they’re older they walk on your heart.” Someone reading this heart talk will be able to painfully relate to this statement.
There are others who walk in the valley of a failed career, a business that failed, a dream that simply never came true, a relationship that ended in heart break, the unexpected loss of a job. And how about the unexpected death of a loved one, a miscarriage, a suicide (either of a family member or close friend), a serious car accident, a home break in, a house fire…the list is endless.
THESE ALL HAPPEN TO VALLEY WALKERS, and that is all of us. The patriarch, Job, put it this way: “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1 KJV). He had earlier stated, after having lost everything (including his ten children and all of his stock), “Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:6, 7 KJV). JOB WAS A VALLEY
Serious illness, such as cancer (and other incurable diseases that medical science continues to seek cures for), is a valley that many of us are called upon to walk through. And, those who walk in this valley often, like Joseph in the story that was related at the beginning of this heart talk, often react in the same way – “Jesus, where are you? How could you let this happen to me? I’ve prayed over and over and you’ve ignored my prayers.” Some have been known to shake their fist at God, screaming, “I hate you!” Desperate people often do desperate things. These are “Valley Walkers”.
My beloved wife has been a valley walker for the past twenty-five to thirty years. Brain surgery in the early 80’s to remove a tumor was the first huge valley walk that she and I had to take. God provided one of the finest neurological surgeons in
Recently, a beloved friend, Evangelist Bobby Green of
I know not why His hand is laid in chastening on my life
Nor why my little world is filled with toil and strife;
I know not why when faith looks up to seek release from pain --
That o’er my sky fresh clouds arise to drench my path with rain.
I know not why my prayer so long by Him is denied;
Nor why when ships sail on, mine should in port abide;
But I do know that God is love and He my burden bears –
So though I do not understand one thing I know…HE CARES.
I close with the confession that I make for myself and my wife. It is the confession that the Psalmist made as he ended the 23rd Psalm – “The Shepherd’s Psalm” – “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” This preacher has prayed for thousands of people and I have seen hundreds of healings and miracles. I have seen God work them even when I was ill and in pain myself. And, yes, I wonder why God sometimes seem to be unconcerned and the answers don’t come. I wait for His voice of reassurance. Why some prayers are not answered, or at least answered to my satisfaction, I do not know. I just know that He knows what is best and that He is sovereign over all creation and creatures. I know that Mrs. Jones and I are not alone as valley walkers. We have plenty of company in life’s valley. I also know that although I can’t see Him, and although He often remains eerily silent, He is still there. Mrs. Jones and I stand resolute on the promise that He made to His disciples: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Lo, I am with thee, even to the end of the age.”
Whatever our (or your) present valley experience may be, we can be sure that God is with those who walk in the valley, even the valley of the shadow of death. And, when we stop to look back over the road we have traveled, as I wrote in a poem years ago, we should be quick to declare, “I’ve had more good days than bad.” So, child of God, walk on in faith. If you feel forsaken, remember that our Lord also felt forsaken on the cross. And, remember, WE’RE GOING TO MAKE IT! We’ve walked out of more than one valley!
“And the disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents
that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:
but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 9:2, 3 KJV)
WHATEVER YOU DO, VALLEY
A GUILT TRIP ON YOU. YOUR LOAD IS ALREADY HEAVY ENOUGH!
If you have been blessed by this heart talk, please take the time to let Dr. Jones hear from you.
Share your own valley experience with him. We are admonished in the Bible to bear one another’s
burdens. Let’s do it! Dr. Jones can be reached at:
or by mail at
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God bless you! Be strong! Walk on Valley Walkers!