It’s my time of testing

Blessed are those whose strength is in you…As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. (Psalm 84:5-6 ESV)

I was sitting in a wheelchair in the lobby of the hospital, waiting for the taxi to come. I had slipped and fallen; I had broken my upper arm. I’m going through the Baca Valley! It’s my time of testing.

The Bible’s Baca Valley was a literal place. It was a narrow, dry valley that the Jews had to travel through to get to Jerusalem to worship in their temple. The Hebrew word “Baca” means “weeping,” and “the Baca Valley” has come to mean a difficult and sorrowful time.

What God is saying is that all those who experience sorrow—and who doesn’t? —can find strength through faith. Through keeping our eyes on Him and our hearts fixed on His Word, the Baca Valley becomes a different place. Instead of being a hard, dry valley of weeping and sorrow, He can make it a place of growth and abundance.

Life takes us through times of hardship and sufferings, but with faith in Jesus, these hard times can become steppingstones where we can “go from strength to strength.”

We can face these difficulties knowing that the final outcome is bringing us closer to God. The Baca Valley can turn into a spring of blessing through God’s grace empowering us. “I’m going to make it through this!”  [1]

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

[1] Activated The Rain Also Brings Blessings