Almost 10 years ago, now, the Lord gave me a promise in Deuteronomy 11:11.

 

I was quick to grab hold of a coming “crossing over and land that was fed by rain from Heaven.” All that has been very true. I have marveled at the Lord in these past few years. Yet, I did not realize I would enter into another portion of this passage speaking of “mountains/ hills and valleys.” I mean, I understood it in theory, but not spiritually. Mere knowledge alone could not prepare me.

 

“…but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven…” Deut. 11:11

 

I was in a dreary season that would be for an extended time. Yet, I expected that promise to be fulfilled quite immediately.

 

In all honesty, I began to go through one valley after another. One would barely end when another would begin. Each very different than the last.

 

Looking back, He really did warn me in advance but I didn’t dig into the fullness of the promise. Only the part that I wanted to hear at that time. We tend to do that don’t we?

 

There would be a dear cost to my crossing over and I was on the edge of a season that would test my resolve to keep following Jesus.

 

I’ve known the utter fatigue that David must have felt always having to be in a battle that seemed to never end.

 

The thing is that I thought my Deuteronomy 11:11 season was a short transition when in all actuality, it had just begun.

 

I had to wrestle with Christ over inner emotions and questions. I had to let Him lift my head and hold my hand as I learned to walk again at times. It seemed my walking on water legs had taken a severe beating and I was fighting to just take beginners steps again. Anybody else?

 

Yet, another valley would come and I would feel a supernatural peace I had never experienced quite before. Jehovah Shalom would come and rest and I would be utterly surprised at how calm I was in the midst of it all. It was “other worldly.”

 

At some point, I got just mad enough to promise that the enemy would pay for every arrow he sent to me and a shift happened. I was going with Jesus no matter what.

 

It’s not that I hadn’t already committed to it but listen, you really don’t know where you’ll stand until it’s that very moment when all of Hell keeps knocking on your door. You’ll be tempted to run and hide and I, certainly, have done my fair share of that also.

 

But this beautiful Jesus of mine, and yours, will show up in that cave and say, “Elijah, what are you doing here?” You’ll try to ignore the question too. But eventually His love will coax you out.

 

Some of you have decided to stay in that cave. The hurt has been too monumental you think and you’ve found yourself saying in the quiet, “If this is what it’s all about, I’m out…”

 

Please don’t stay there.

 

Whether a hill or a valley, Jesus had been at my every turn. Teaching me. Training me. Loving me. I knew that I knew that I knew that He was worth it. But it didn’t mean I liked it all.

 

I decided my rest would likely come in Heaven and I asked Him to reposition my mindset to have a deeply rooted spirit of endurance.

 

He is still doing this today.

 

Your promised land in Jesus will encounter mountains and valleys. One is never without the other and God in all of His fullness is seen best through both. You’ll find different intimacy moments through each. Ways of seeing His nature on a mountain can be different than when you’re in the valley. It was for me.

 

Both the mountains and the valleys have shown me His glory in varying ways. I’ve learned to look for Him afresh in both. Letting the “…teaching fall like rain…” can be difficult depending on the type of rain. Remember that Deut. 11:11 promise? Both the hills and the valleys are said to be fed by rains from Heaven. Something my heart never saw until some years into the long transition.

 

Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants. (Deut. 32:2)

 

Full disclosure: it ain’t always pretty.

 

But I’ve learned better also this scripture nugget:

 

…a servant is not greater than the Master… (John 15:20)

 

I’ve learned promises are on Heavens time table. Some of my deferred hope was because my expectation was wrong. I only saw dimly and just didn’t know what I didn’t know.

 

Joseph had to go through many years to be ready for his promotion into destiny.

 

King David went through major trials after being anointed as King but not yet ready to be placed in position.

 

Both had mountains and valleys. Each season helped make the man.

 

It will also help to make me and you.

 

Prepare for the mountains with Jesus, friends, but make sure you also prepare for the valleys. Both will come.

 

Think not it strange when trials come Paul reminds us.

 

And in the midst of both you’ll find something about Christ you never quite knew before. And that “something” you’ll never forget.