Paul told Timothy that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. People will love only themselves and their money. They will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad.  They will be hardheaded and never give in to others. They will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. They will betray their friends. They will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God.

I know it is hard to be a Christian in today’s world. Christians are persecuted and killed in parts of the world simply because they are Christians. In our own nation we see so-called Christians turning on other Christians. We are witnessing children abandoning their elder parents who sacrificed so much for their children. People are stressed. People are trying to find peace through working long hours, spending money shopping, watching television, drinking and drugging: anything to take them away from here. We need to come to terms with the reality that this nation is divided.

How can there be peace in the valley? I do not know. The answer is not going to come from the government. The answer is not going to come from a program. The answer is not going to come from working long hours. No one ever said on their dying bed that they wish they had only worked more hours.

The only answer we have is God’s peace. Jesus let us know that He was leaving His peace with us. This peace is offered without strings attached. If we are to live in these perilous times, we must seek someone greater than ourselves. People will let us down. Institutions will let us down. Our faith needs to be in nothing less than the God who made us. Our Father is aware of what is happening, it is no surprise to Him. God loves us all.

We all want to be on the mountaintop, but sometimes we have to go through the valley. He is with us in the valley. God always shows up in the valleys of our lives when the only thing we have to lean on is His word. We grow as individuals and our maturity comes from these valley experiences. The Bible tells us that even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are to fear no evil. God has our back.

Our great joy as Christians is to walk in peace in a world gone mad. Perhaps people will inquire as to how we have attained such peace. We can tell them of the One who has given us such great peace. We can be a bright light in a dark world!