Last month I was a part of helping run a ‘Training Camp’ for over 240 World Racers that are leaving the USA in January. It was an incredible 10 days for the group I was helping train, but also for me personally!
The worship was powerful. The testimonies and celebrations I saw were encouraging. Being able to pour into and be inspired by other young people on fire for God reminded me of why I love this stuff so much. Kingdom work.
Now don’t get me wrong, it was pretty exhausting. Both mentally and physically! But as I stepped away from that experience I was on one of those spiritual ‘peaks’…you know the times I’m talking about? When you come off an experience that you were so in tune with the spirit and connected with our Heavenly Father in a way that is hard to describe. A ‘spiritual mountain top’.
As some of us involved in leading the TC debriefed it, the discussion turned to what follows moments and experiences like these. How vulnerable we are to attacks from the devil…and I believe how quickly our ‘peaks’ can slide towards a valley.
We have this unrealistic image of the devil as someone who is charging at us full speed, declaring his intentions and an obvious enemy. In reality he is a thief in the night, using deception and feeding on insecurities and lies. He knows right where to hit us.
– As someone who struggled with pornography and lust in my past, the temptation to fall back to that garbage becomes stronger than ever.
– As someone who has dealt with pride, I find myself having moments where it tries to rear its ugly head again.
– As someone who used to care a lot about image and perception of others, it’s easy to get performance driven and forget who gives me my true value and worth.
Yet there is NOTHING that will be sent our way that we cannot overcome and conquer. No challenge, temptation, struggle, lie or obstacle. Doesn’t it say in Isaiah that no weapon formed against us shall prosper?!
As daughters and sons of the most high King we can thankfully stand in that truth. That his love for us does not change and these experiences we have in these spiritual ‘peaks’ are not an anomaly that occurs at retreats, but occur in our daily lives.
Now I don’t have all the answers, but I have found a few ways in my life that help these transitions. As I find myself sliding into a bit of a valley and wanting more.
First, I think it’s important to be self-aware and know where your weakness are. Where the temptations and struggles will come from, and instead of being blindsided or unaware when they hit…stand victorious over them. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Second, I believe we must have community and support. It’s so easy to let yourself get isolated and feel ‘I must be the only one going through this’. Division and isolation are some of the devil’s favorite tools, but instead invite trusted people in. Be vulnerable and seek prayer and let them speak life and truth into you. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Most importantly, we must continue to spend TIME with God. It sounds so obvious, but it’s often the one I easily overlook.
When we hear and connect with our Heavenly Father in ways we never had before or rarely experience, we can fall prey to the expectation that it will just naturally happen. The truth is, it’s a RELATIONSHIP we have with God. A relationship can’t just be a one-way conversation. We must continually involve Him in our daily lives and pursue Him on a deeper level.
Spend time in His word, in prayer and in a living state of worship.
Yes, being a part of their Training Camp was amazing. Yet I feel God has used the two weeks since in a completely different and beautiful way.
I know life is full of seasons and God can use challenging times to teach and grow us, but perhaps you are coming off a spiritual peak and find yourself slipping down a slope quickly. Maybe you feel you’ve been in a valley for some time now.
I pray you take heart in the fact His love for you hasn’t changed. We weren’t made to live in relationship that way.
Seek Him. Invite Him in to every part of your life…He will meet us there.
