Joy in the Valley of Weeping

Good morning, friends! :) It's a brand new day, and whether or not the sun is shining where you are, I pray the Son is shining in your heart. 

One morning last week,  I woke up and remembered that, during the night, a Bible verse had popped into my head. It wasn't a common one, but it was one I had read before and been intrigued by. I thought it was cool that God had given me that verse, though I wasn't totally sure what it meant. The verse was Psalm 84:6, which says,

"Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools."

What I got from it that day, was that even in the valleys of life, when we are connected with Christ we can make them a well! 

But this wasn't the end of what I would gain from that verse... This past Sabbath, I decided to look up the verse on the website Bible Tools (https://bibletools.info/Ps_84.6) and I was astonished with what I found!

The part about the "valley of Baca" intrigued me- what was this place called Baca, anyway? 

The Adam Clarke Bible commentary* on this verse sheds light on it:

"I believe Baca to be the same here as Bochim, Judges 2:1-6, called The Valley of Weeping. Though they pass through this barren and desert place, they would not fear evil, knowing that thou wouldst supply all their wants; and even in the sandy desert cause them to find pools of water, in consequence of which they shall advance with renewed strength, and shall meet with the God of Israel in Zion."

WHOA. I stopped in my tracks- The valley of Baca means "the valley of weeping". This truth struck home to my heart. If we read this verse with that concept, it looks like this: 

"Who passing through the valley of weeping make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools."

So how can we make the valley of weeping a well? The previous verse offers the key: 

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee..." (Psalm 84:5)

When our strength is in Christ, we can find joy, even in the valleys of weeping.

But does this mean that the Christian will never have times of sadness, that every valley of weeping will turn happy as soon as we step into it?

The commentary from Albert Barnes* offers some insight into this:

"Make it a well - Or, a fountain. That is, It becomes to the pilgrims as a sacred fountain. They “make” such a gloomy valley like a fountain, or like a road where fountains - full, free, refreshing - break forth everywhere to invigorate the traveler. Religious worship - the going up to the house of God - turns that in the journey of life which would otherwise be gloomy and sad into joy; makes a world of tears a world of comfort; has an effect like that of changing a gloomy path into one of pleasantness and beauty. The idea here is the same... which was so beautifully illustrated in the case of Paul and Silas in the jail at Philippi, when, at midnight they “sang praises to God” Acts 16:25, and which is so often illustrated in the midst of affliction and trouble. By the power of religion, by the presence of the Saviour, by the influence of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, such times become seasons of purest joy - times remembered ever afterward with most fervent gratitude, as among the happiest periods of life. For religion can diffuse smiles over faces darkened by care; can light up the eye sunk in despondency; can change tears of sorrow into tears of joy; can impart peace in scenes of deepest sorrow; and make the most gloomy vales of life like green pastures illuminated by the brightness of noonday." (Emphasis added by me)

The wells and fountains that spring up in the valley do not always make the sorrow disappear, but they are whispers of love from the heart of our God and Father, keeping us going.

Recently I was skimming through a book (yes, that is one of my bad habits- I skim a book rather than committing to reading the whole thing) called Joy: The Secret of Being Content by Celeste P. Walker, when I came across this profound paragraph (page 65-66): 

"Not long ago I found myself struggling with a deep depression. That I, in the depths of such depression, could see joy in life is something of a miracle in itself. So you can believe me when I say that joy can exist even when you are at the bottom looking up. Such joy won't jump out and grab your attention, but it is there if you look for it."

This is the beautiful truth: we may walk through the valley of weeping, we may have seasons of loneliness, sadness, and depression, but "We are... cast down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)

We are not left hopeless and desponding in this valley. We have a Friend who sticks closer than a brother, who is holding our hand, who is with us in our pain, who knows our sorrows and who cries with us. It is often in the times of our deepest pain that we realize just how close Jesus is. 

So, friend, if you are passing through the valley of weeping, and you're wondering if God is upset with you, or if He's forgotten you, do not despair! Those two words offer hope: "passing through"- the valley will not be forever, someday we will live in joy and peace forever, with no more pain and tears; but in the meantime, take heart- He will bring wells of His love and peace in the midst of the valley. He is with you in this pain. You are not forsaken- you are held.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." -Psalm 30:5

God bless you! 

-Hope

* I may not endorse everything these Bible commentators have written, but I found these selections particularly encouraging and Biblical. :)