Valley of Vision

I can’t help but want to share with you the lyrics to a song titled Valley of Vision. If you find yourself having a hard time understanding the Lord’s sovereignty in and around your life, you might want to continue reading... Whatever you are going through, God’s hand has not been absent from your life.

[ VALLEY OF VISION ]

Lord most high most meek and holy,
Thou has brought me to this valley.
Live in the depths, but the heights I see Thee,
Behold Thy glory, thou hills of sin surround me.

It is here that you have brought me, It is here that you have taught me,
It is here that I have learned how to see.

Let me learn by paradox, the way down is the way up.
You have broken my heart to heal it,
the low soul is a rejoicing spirit in the valley.
The soul that repents will in victory stand
and there is water and shade when you reach barren land,
In day starts are seen from the deepest wells,
The deeper they are, the brighter you shine.
Let me find your light in my darkest nights,
Thy life in my death, in my sorry They joy,
Let me find Thy glory in my valley.
You have broken my heart to heal it,
The low soul is a rejoicing spirit in the valley.

It is here that you have brought me, It is here that you have taught me,
It is here that I have learned how to see.

In Calm My Anxious Heart, I hit the chapter titled "Trusting God with the 'If Onlys'". The author wrote about a man called to missions in South Africa named Andrew Murray, and how while in England in 1895, he was suffering with terrible back pain from a previous injury. One morning while eating breakfast in his room, his hostess told him of a woman downstairs who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any advice for her. Andrew Murray handed her a paper he had been writing on and said, "Give her this advice I'm writing down for myself. It may be that she'll find it helpful."
This is what he wrote:

In time of trouble, say, "First, he brought me here. It is by his will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest." Next, "He will keep me here in his love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as his child." Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons he intends me to bestow." And last, say, "In his good time he can bring me out again. How and when, he knows." Therefore, say, "I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in his keeping, (3) under his training, and (4) for his time."
-Andrew Murray

Blows my mind sometimes how the Lord continues to persist in bringing me the same truths to heart over and over again. Since last week, God has not given up in the lessons he's apparently wanting me to learn... It’s quite humorous to be honest. As much as suffering is no fun, I can't help but experience joy in my heart knowing that yes, things may not be going according to MY PLAN here on earth, but that the Lord is only making HIS PLAN more evident in my life.

[ HOSEA 6:1-3 ]

"Come, let us return to the Lord!
He has torn us to pieces but He WILL heal us;
He has injured us but He WILL bind up our wounds.

After two days He WILL revive us;
On the third day He WILL restore us, that we may live in His presence!

Let us acknowledge the Lord;
Let us press on to acknowledge Him.
As surely as the sun rises, He WILL appear;
He WILL come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."

Ramsey Pursell, Assistant to the Executive Director