Ever wondered if the Valley of the Shadow of Death is a real place? (Psalm 23:1) It is a real place, a bit off the beaten path. In the valley, you can learn to move from fear to faith.
This valley is part of the road from Jerusalem to Jericho mentioned by Jesus in the Good Samaritan Story. The walls of the valley are steep, and it was well-known that this is the place where robbers and thieves lingered waiting on easy prey. Today, it’s a national park where you can hike, see St. George’s Monastery, and if you’re brave enough, you can walk the road from Jerusalem to Jericho on the Samaritan road.
Fear Tops the List
Fear rises to the top of things with which people struggle. Today, we will take a journey…a journey from fear to faith.We journey with Habakkuk, the prophet. Hopefully, we’ll discover how to trust in God no matter what.
Habakkuk makes one of the strongest statements of faith in the Bible, “The righteous will live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Habakkuk challenges us to put our faith into action when things are at their worst. When you read Habakkuk, you see a person who traveled from a place of doubting God to a place of trusting God… no matter what.
God had shown Habakkuk that his country was about to be invaded, pillaged, and destroyed. The people would lose everything… job, home, and family. It would all be gone. They would go from freedom to slavery. That is a whole different matter than trusting God though broken pipes, or when you had a bad day at work or school. In Habakkuk, there are three lessons we can apply to our lives.
Wait Patiently
The first is wait patiently for God even when you are afraid. Habakkuk writes: “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled” (Habakkuk 3:16). Habakkuk wasn’t facing the possibility of invasion by the Babylonians, but the certainty of it. He was deathly afraid, and his fear affected him deeply in his bones and even on a physical level.
God promises to give us his peace when we give our worries and fears to him. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). This reminds me of a story my son-in-law’s mother told me. Her friend loved playing the violin. She was on a small plane and the pilot informed the passengers there was nothing left to do. The plane was experiencing problems and it was going down. The friend experienced unusual calmness. She was at peace, knowing she would meet God that day. If that’s what is happening, she said to herself, I’m going to praise His name, because that is what I know to do. She got out her violin and began playing. The plane landed safely and she lived to tell this story. Regardless of the situation, God desires to give us peace beyond what seems humanly possible.
Choose to Rejoice, Not Fear
A second lesson is to choose to rejoice in God even when everything is going wrong. Verses 17 says, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls…” (Habakkuk 3:17).The three couplets contained here provide powerful symbols.
The growing figs and young grapes on the vine refer to the future. They are a symbol of our future hope. Our hope and dreams are what motivates us to keep going. What happens when there are no visible signs that they will come true? Have you ever, like me, prayed, “God, please just give me a sign, some hope that things are going to be better?”
The olive crop and the grain in the fields refer to now. These are the tangible things of life that provide a foundation… your family, your home, your job. I have a strong wife, a comfortable home, and a good job. A threat to any of these causes me great anxiousness.
The sheep and cattle refer to the past, our reserves: the money you have in the bank, your social security check. What do you do when it all evaporates? Habakkuk would tell you look to God; Let our heavenly father lift you up.
When there is no hope for the future, the present seems bleak, and there is nothing to fall back on, Habakkuk concludes, “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:18). It is our choice. Like Habakkuk, we must choose to rejoice in God, regardless.
Find Strength
The third lesson from Habakkuk is to find strength in God to scale the heights even when you are down. Verse 19 says, “The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights” (Habakkuk 3:19). Habakkuk learned to find his strength in God, not in his own resources or ability. Habakkuk was about to go through some rough times. The thought of it scared him. Yet, as he rejoiced in God, he found new strength.
What is this strength that God gives us? Habakkuk paints the picture of a female deer running on the heights of the mountains: steady, surefooted, unafraid, and full of confidence. We can feel secure and confident that God has our back. God loves us and desires for us to trust Him. Because he is God, a savior who will deliver us… in his time. He will lift us up when we commit to, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
I pray for God’s help as you begin the journey from fear to faith. Come honestly to God with your questions. Seek him with all of your heart. God promises: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Take the journey from the Valley of Fear to the Mountain Top of Faith.
© 2019 Chuck Locklear All rights reserved
Also, see Love and Faith Go Hand-in-hand.