This Lonesome Valley
Posted: Friday, February 13, 2009
by Jean Purcell
OpineBooks.com
"And we are His witnesses to these things..."(Acts 5: 32). One evening I went with girlfriends to a concert. We had front row seats in a side balcony with a close view of the stage.
I looked forward to an evening to lift my spirits, for a persistent torture of discontent hung onto me. There is a name for some of the symptoms I had: depression. What causes depression? Sometimes it is a chemical imbalance. Sometimes, isn't it sadness fed by an accumulation of discontent or self-doubt?
You've got to walk this lonesome valley
You've got to walk it by yourself.
Oh, nobody else can walk it for you,
You've got to walk it by yourself.
The next verses of the Lonesome Valley song told of mother, father, and others: they had to walk this lonesome valley. Nobody else could walk it for them. They had to walk it for themselves.
The crowd sat in near-perfect silence and stillness. When the music stopped, the applause started, yet a burden of the inevitability of having to walk through life entirely alone filled me with despair. Was there no other answer for the unhappiness I could not cure alone?
I had discovered through the years that I could not find the hiding place of peace and joy. Yet, I longed not to settle for less. Someone put it this way, later: You were not satisfied to let "well enough" alone.
There were times of fun, liveliness, and pleasure, of course. Yet, the big questions and occasional hints of despair still stalked me. "There must be more," I thought, trying to run from failure. Yet I could not find "more."
After the Lonesome Valley musical evening, I continued to complain about everyday circumstances, too. I did not like living near Washington, DC. I wanted a simpler, less self-conscious life. Most of all, I hated that my husband and I could not compromise about the direction of our lives.
I took another job when I could see the empty nest time coming a few years ahead. Otherwise, I wanted desperately to learn to accept and make peace with my life as it was.
Then, unknown to me, my deep unhappiness was suspected by a co-worker. A new Christian, she tossed a little book onto my desk one morning. The little book sat there until I left for lunch, taking it along.
The book was so thin that it could be read in about 30 minutes. There were scriptures inside, scattered on different pages. One in particular seized special attention, though I did not know why:
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
The words stirred and stayed in my mind, settling there. I lived with them, analyzed them, wrote and rewrote them, and eventually began to use them like a prayer. Over a period of a few weeks, my heart and mind began to settle in a new place. There was a new kind of hope rising. I had been afraid, without realizing it. Now, I saw that I wanted to hang onto those words.
After a few weeks, I began to crave more scripture, more comprehension of truth, and more efforts at prayer. Such unexpected change is a holy refreshing for new and older, dusty saints. The Spirit of God witnesses to our spirits that we are children of God.
The unexpected process that began long ago did not get my full commitment for over 18 months. I drifted in and out of prayer, scripture reading, and thinking about God. But the door had been opened, however slightly, in my view and God was taking me into a special new life.
The fullness of putting my life into His care completely continues, two decades later. I do not ever want to let go of Christ, who sets us free eternally and walks with us in every here and now.
Years later I shared part of this story at a women's Bible study in, of all places, Milan, Italy. Living a few hours by train from Milan in those days, I sometimes went to Milan with a Canadian missionary friend. That day, the leader of the study group added that when God refers to His righteous right arm He is referring to Jesus.
At that folk music concert all those years ago, why did I feel so sad upon hearing the Lonesome Valley song? It was long before I dreamed of the life God had prepared for me and my husband. Unknown to me for a while, the same process of God's peace was beginning in my husband, too. I never forgot that folk music night and the dissatisfaction I lived with then. It seemed that the song, between the lines, had said that, at best, God has left us here to figure things out, to find "more," by ourselves. Alone.
The problem I had with the song had been not in the parts the group did sing, but in the part they did not sing. Here is that part, the last verse:
Jesus walked this lonesome valley,
Jesus walked it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for Him.
He had to walk it by himself.
We deal with life as humans accountable for ourselves. Yet, we do not have to figure it out on our own, for Who inspires our longing for more? Who gives us that unsettled feeling, that we cannot leave well enough alone? It is God, who is present, even when we are not thinking of Him or aware of His righteous nearness. He aims to give us so much, more than we can ever fully comprehend. He gives continually, and yet many of us cannot see.
Who was with Jesus when He walked this earth, the song's Lonesome Valley? It was God. Jesus was never alone, and neither are we.
A few divine words can open our eyes to this truth. There are so many words in scripture. God knows the exact ones that we need, in every situation of our lives, at every point of need.
If we do not hear God or allow His words to settle within us, then it is likely that we are not hungry enough or aware. I have been there, too, not seeing my spiritual blindness at times since those days. God is faithful to correct and add to our wisdom.
After the crucifixion of Jesus, there was a man named Saul, of Tarsus. He was a devout Jew who persecuted Jewish Christians. God called Paul to be an apostle of the gospel, to the non-Jewish world. It all began with Jesus' appearance to Paul in a vision, confronting him with his opposition to the Lord.
God blinded Paul for a brief time after his encounter with the risen Christ, and then sent a man to nurse and help him. Soon Saul, to be called Paul, had his sight restored. But already, his inner vision had been made whole regarding God in Christ.
Years later, as a mature, persecuted, proven, and faithful witness to God's power, he wrote to the church at Ephesus, a town of the eastern Mediterranean:
"I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called-his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
"I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms."---Ephesians 1: 16-20-New Living Translation of the Bible For all who long to belong to God and with God, may that prayer's fulfillment be multiplied. Amen!
Note: Isaiah 41:10 as quoted is from the King James Version of the Bible
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Dear Jane,
This Lonesome Valley was my morning devotional. You are a gracious witness for Christ; a missionary, "holy [and] refreshing for new and older, dusty saints." It's amazing how He had a co-worker recognize your despair and minister to you. This is what you've done to us. Our God is truly amazing! You've presented Him exceptionally well and accurately with your testimony and His Word.
I have oftentimes found songs to have a 'catchy' tune but the lyrics are inaccurate based on the Word of God. This isn't to criticize the song but an observation.
Happy Valentine's Day, my sister and friend.
Warmest regards,
AvisDear Avis, I think of the verse that begins, "How pleasant it is...." I will search that out when able. You may know it? It has to do with brothers (and sisters)*smile* dwelling together in unity. It says that such unity is like the oil that flowed over Aaron's beard and down over his priestly robe. God be praised for helping us bear witness to Him. Take care! Blessings JaneJane, I know the verse somewhat, too. It says something like, O how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity....and you've got the other part! *smiling*Avis, yes, you got it. I'll let you know when I find the reference. I once heard a lady preacher on radio preaching on that verse. She brought the things behind it---Aaron, oil, the priestly robe. It was wonderful and her heart and soul were in it and I felt she had the anointing of the Lord as the preaching flowed. More later, dear friend and sister. JaneAvis, See Ps 133. Note too the last part of the last verse. Iknow what you mean about catchy music that does not fit with or reflet the Word. Bye for now, dear sister. JaneAs soon as I saw the reference, I remembered. Isn't that how it is? I will read it tonight before bedtime. Thanks, Jane.Dear Avis, This may seem ridiculous, but I hate my typo for "reflect" in my previous note to you! One last thing (really): it amazes me that when you were only hours away from a morning devotional about the Lonesome Valley, I was thinking and working on that theme--it brings friends together once again. Blest be the ties.... JaneDear Jane, if it's ridiculous, I'm ridiculous, too. I'll let some thing slide but not tyops if I can help it. I fell in love with that editing feature when Bruce added it. And I cringe when the time limit has expired and I find a something wrong. I talk to myself by saying, get over it, don't bother but that doesn't always work. I am improving, though.
Forgive me for not being clear. I used your article, "This Lonesome Valley" as my morning devotional yesterday. So, we were united but after you'd written and posted it. Neither of us knew but our Father did. *smiling*
I hope you and your husband are enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon this Lord's day. Please let him know I pray he's feeling 100%, as well.
Blessings to you,
AvisDear Avis, Now I get it, that you used the article. Wow. Praise to God who helps us at the keyboard!
Todays devotional reading here this a.m. was from C. H. Spurgeon, and he wrote about desires, from Ps. 145.9. I thought of writers, men and women who have this desire/urge(!) to write. The verse says that God "will fulfill the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them." In the text, CH Spurgeon wrote: "Like Daniel, they are men (add "and women") of desires, and the Lord will cause them to realize their aspirations." Emphasis added. Isn't that wonderful reminder and encouragement?! *smile*
Have a blessed day, dear sister,
~JaneThis a clear, concise and well-spoken testimony. Thank you. The wonderful thing about personal testimony is that nobody can refute it. It is your experience, your testimony, a happening in your life that belongs to you alone. God, in His Word, also says that His Word will never return void, but will accomplish the purpose it was sent out to do. Thank you for including great scriptures which will fulfill His purpose in someone's life.Dear David, Thank you for your comments. I am thankful to God for the encouragement you give. I agree with you about testimony. We yearn to share this good news. I know He helps us do this. God's favor be upon you by your faith. Thank you so much. I am thankful for your comment about the scriptures. Blessings, JaneJane, thanks for sharing this. I struggle with total trust - but can see changes in my life as time passes and I grow. I love your closing Scripture. Those verses are what I pray for each member of my family every day.Dear Lorrie, your children are blessed with a praying mom. BTW, those have been special prayer verses for me as a mom too. Isn't that prayer wonderful? And I feel in need of that prayer for my soul, too. How reassuring to know by faith that God answers our needs expressed in those verses.Let us give praise to God together. Thank you so much for your thoughts. God bless you. JaneWe want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.Copyright 2012 IcoLogic, Inc.Viewed from Cache.
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