Watch the video above and talk about it with a group or mentor. Learn more.
Sometimes your faith brings you to the mountaintop. But what do you do when you feel like you're in the valley?
Key Points:
- You are not alone. Many people feel far from God from time to time, or even for long spans of time. Even King David felt far from God, which he expressed in many of his Psalms.
- We must be honest with God when we struggle.
- Don’t forsake in the dark what you heard in the light. The “mountaintop” experiences aren’t meant to typify our lives, but these are times when we can soak in deep truths that will come with us into life’s “valley” seasons.
- Don’t do away with your disciplines. It is easy to fall away from scripture reading, prayer, and Christian fellowship when times get tough. But don’t let yourself fall away from these crucial things.
Quote This:
Psalm 51:1-4 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight.
Talk About It
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- When was the last time you felt close to God? Describe your typical day or week at that time.
- What was your greatest mountaintop experience? Describe it.
- How does the mountaintop affect the valleys in your relationship with God?
- Find a chapter or verse in Psalms that illustrates a time when the Psalmist felt far from God. Can you relate?
- Scripture, prayer, and community: which one is your strongest discipline? Which is your weakest?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
