“Has no one ever told you about the law of Undulation?” – C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters. I confess that the first time I read this book four and a half years ago, I had no idea what undulation meant. Lewis did however explain it a few sentences later, “the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks.” In other words, undulation is the highs and lows of life. It is that series of ups and downs that we all go through. Like the ebb and flow of the ocean, life is that constant motion of changes, the ups and downs we face.
I remember that aha moment when I understood what Lewis was saying because I realized quite clearly that I did indeed understand undulation. Life truly is a series of ups and downs; life is constantly changing. Honestly, sometimes life feels more like a rollercoaster than a road we are traveling down. Just this week alone, I feel as if I have been on one wild ride. I have had moments of sadness and great disappointment as I struggled with something that hurt my feelings. And I have had moments of joy and awe as I watched God move in miraculous ways in answer to prayer.
Life is definitely a “series of troughs and peaks”! But there is one thing that keeps me steady no matter whether I am in the troughs or climbing the highest peak. My God is faithful, and He walks with me every step of the way. In the darkest valley, He is there. On the highest mountaintop, He is there. He is the steady foundation that will not let me be shaken (Luke 6:48). Life constantly changes but my God does not, and that gives me great peace. Because of Him, I can have peace no matter what I am facing. Knowing that He is always with me, gives me the courage to keep going.
As I go through the ups and downs of life I have discovered something my friend. I have learned more in the valleys than I have in the peaks. I have drawn closer to God and learned more about Him in the difficulties I have faced. The hard times have brought me closer to Him. I can honestly say now that I am profoundly grateful for the challenges I have faced because it has been through them that I have fallen in love with Him. I wouldn’t trade the peace and assurance I have now for anything in this world. I can now say I am learning to thank Him for the hard times I have faced.
I can thank Him for the hard times I have faced because they have compelled me to seek His face like never before. In the dark valley, I was forced to look for the Son, and when I found Him, I found my hope. It was the difficulties I faced that brought me from knowing Him as Savior to loving Him as my LORD. Head knowledge became heart knowledge in the depths of that valley! You can know a lot of things about your Savior but until those things drop from head knowledge to something deep within your heart and changes everything, you don’t truly experience freedom.
In learning to depend upon Him, I have learned to see Him in ways I never dreamed possible. Somehow, all the brokenness becomes beautiful when viewed in light of all that He has done through it. Broken becomes beautiful, when it brings you closer to the One who specializes in mending the broken. My friend, if you truly knew the love of our precious Savior, if you truly knew how much He loves you, it would change everything in your life. When you realize how much He loves you, it changes how you see yourself and how you see the world. Love like His, is life-changing!
My friend, sometimes I really wish I could sit and share a cup of coffee with you and tell you what God has done in my life. I wish that we could talk face to face and I could tell you just how amazing He has been. I would tell you how He is mending the broken pieces of my heart and life. I would tell you how many times He has held me as I cried. I would tell you how precious He is and how He speaks to my heart when I am sad or hurting. I would love to tell you how He has comforted and encouraged me time and time again. I would share with you how tenderly He cares for me.
I would share with you the times He has answered prayers and made a way when there seemed not to be one. I would tell you how faithfully He has provided for me. We could talk for hours as I shared with you the great things He has done. We would talk about answered prayers, the yeses, the no’s, and the not yets. I would probably cry as I told you about the things I have learned through all of the hard times. And then my friend, I would tell you something else especially important for you to know. I would tell you that He could do the same thing for you!
If I were able to sit with you and share all that God has done for me, I would want to make sure you knew He is more-than-able to do all of this and more for you! Our God is faithful! Our God is a promise-keeper! I can assure you from personal experience, God keeps His promises and you can depend on Him to be faithful. Beloved, I don’t know what struggles you may be facing today, but this I do know. God is more-than-able to help you through them. God can and will help you if you ask Him to. Whatever burdens you are carrying, give them to Him; let Him carry them for you.
Trust me; He is able. He is able and He will never leave you. He will be there to walk with you through every hill and valley. You are not alone!
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
Katrina Douglas
