Becoming the best version of yourself is what most people dream of but sometimes getting to that place can take you through times which challenge and stretch you in ways you've never dreamed. Debra George know this 'stretching,' place better than most.
I never wanted a “valley experience,” I mean who does? however, it was during this time that I learned the true meaning of Psalm 23.
“When my husband walked out on me, I thought my life was over. Swirls of emotions were going around in my mind. Where am I going to live? Who is going to love me? What am I going to do about the pain and emptiness that I feel inside? I wanted to kill myself, him, and the other woman. I thought about changing my name and moving to another country. One thing for sure, I thought life without him was not worth living. Boy was I ever wrong!”
As funny as this may sound, I have learned to appreciate the valleys of life. It was during my nearly four-year separation and then the final divorce that I learned, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” I didn’t know Jesus was all I needed until He was all I had. You see it’s in the valley where we get anointed. “He anoints my head with oil.” It’s in the valley where we are restored and made new. “He restores my soul.” It’s in the valley where we go from lack to abundance. “My cup runs over.”
One thing is for certain, Jesus never leaves us in the valley. Many make the mistake of building a hotel in the valley and there they remain for a lifetime of misery. Valleys are not intended to live in, they are intended to go through! “Yes, though I walk through the valley…” It’s in the valley where we learn not to fear. “I will fear no evil.”
The daily pain that I felt, the rejection that tormented my mind couldn’t possibly get any worse. Fear? No way! In my estimation, this is as bad as it gets. To be emotionally out of control was just not like me. When would I stop crying? When would this hurt go away? When would I get the picture of my #husband being with another woman out of my mind? When, when, when? I did not want to go on, however, I had bills to pay. I had a school teaching job I had to be at each day. I had apartment rent to pay. I had to go on.
Still, I felt like a zombie! I went from crying constantly and experiencing unbearable pain to not being able to feel anything at all. I can relate to Psalm 6:6, “I am weary with my groaning: all the night I make my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.” At times, I was in a state of numbness. I couldn’t feel glad and I couldn’t feel sad. I simply couldn’t feel! And that was scary! To this day I don’t know how I kept my job. I was a number one basket case – no good for nothing or for anyone – so I thought!
Thank God he thinks differently about us. Our life has great value. We have a purpose in life. The future that God had planned for me was incredible. Before I could step into my future, I had to be healed and let go of the past!
One of the hardest things I had to face was living alone. Just when I thought I had found the right life partner, with one BAM of the judge’s gavel, my marriage was all over with! I would cry many hours and clench my fingernails onto the wall and hold on – hoping that someway, somehow this pain would be taken from me.
The day finally came. What day you might ask? The day when I began to walk out of my valley. As I was leaving the valley, I had a big smile on my face. I was laughing hysterically. I was not the same person that went into the valley. I went in depressed, suicidal, rejected, and weak. I was coming out full of joy, strong, and a fighter for my God. I went in defeated and a victim. I came out victorious and a victor! Do you know why? When I was departing from the valley, I heard two sets of feet walking behind me. I thought to myself, “Who could this be? I thought I was in the valley by myself.” As I glanced behind me for just a second, I saw GOODNESS AND MERCY walking behind me. Thank God I’m not alone. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”
I went into the valley broke and I came out rich! Rich in my relationship with Jesus Christ! I refused to let the devil win. After all, the devil is a liar. I GOT ALL OF MY STUFF BACK AND MORE! You see sometimes we don’t need our old stuff back when we serve a God who will give us all new stuff.
I got my joy back. I got my peace back. I got my dignity back. I got my self-worth back. Now I travel all over the world telling others how they can get all of their stuff back and more!
What I learned in the valley, I wouldn’t trade for all of the riches of this world. No, my husband never came back home like I hoped he would. No, #theotherwoman never asked for my #forgiveness as I thought she should. No, my plans didn’t work out at all. I learned that I had to trade my plans in exchange for God’s plans for my life and if I had it all to do again, I wouldn’t change a thing! It’s in the valleys of life where we grow. It’s our enemies, not our friends that make us strong! Our enemies force us on our face to cry out to our God. This is where we are changed by Jesus Christ forever! Thank God that He is a lot smarter than we are.
No matter what trial you are going through, God will bring you out! To get from the valley to the mountain tops of life I learned to:
1. Stay in church. You need the strength of other believers. (Hebrews 10:25)
2. Pray like there’s no tomorrow. You don’t need a formula to pray, just pour out your heart to your God. (John 14:14)
3. Read your bible. You don’t have to understand it all. You need God’s word to keep you strong. (II Timothy 2:15)
4. Stay in a normal routine as much as possible. When you’re in a storm, don’t make hasty decisions. God will lead you every step of the way. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
5. Get busy living! Don’t lay down and die! Refuse to let the devil win. Get your boxing gloves on and fight. With God on your side, you will win every time!!!! (Ephesians 6:10-18)
The rest of your days are the best of your days. I see you in your future and you look a whole lot better than you do now. Go ahead, smile, laugh, and give the devil a nervous breakdown. You are a winner. Hold your head up high for your future is bright!
About the author:
#DebraGeorge is a soulwinner. She devotes her time to winning the lost and preaching the Gospel across the world. Whether she’s sharing God’s love to a prostitute or drug dealer on the streets or to a church service full of people, her desire is for all to become what God has destined them to be. Her mission is to raise up soulwinners of all ages and backgrounds across the world. Healing the brokenhearted and pulling up people out of the pits of despair is a big part of her life’s journey.
Comments