The Valley of Vision

Active Waiting in Crisis

April 22, 2020

As the initial shock of the COVID-19 crisis begins to wane, we find ourselves settling into the reality that we’ll be here for a while. We might call this season what the Puritans described as, “the valley of vision.”

Thou has brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths, but see thee in the heights…that valley is the place of vision.

Puritan Prayer, The Valley of Vision

In seasons of darkness and uncertainty, we may lean towards keeping our heads down and waiting for the storm to pass. Yet, in doing so, we may miss the point. As a ministry, ChinaSource believes that our first act upon recommitting to our mission is to acknowledge God’s lordship. From there, we actively wait in the following ways:

• Reflecting—Adopting a posture of humility, confession, and repentance. As it is stated so clearly in the Scriptures, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

• Learning—What lessons can we learn during this time, about God, ourselves, and from others within the global church family? We want to follow the lead and example of the church in Wuhan, China. In the midst of crisis, they sought to be in alignment with God’s calling and were ready to listen and follow his voice.

• Preparing—We have seen through Scripture (John 15:1-2) and history how the Lord uses seasons in the valley to prune, refine, and ready his people. His revelation is promised but we have to be ready for it. Time spent actively waiting on the Lord is not wasted.

In riding out the crisis, our brothers and sisters in China are ahead of many in the west. As we see the nation of China slowly move towards recovery, we continue to witness the enduring perseverance of Christ-centered communities. Collectively, they have not given up, but are holding more tightly to the faith they profess and live out. Our prayer is that the global church will embrace their example.

Perhaps the question is not “how do we get out of this?” but rather “how do we come out of this?” As we find ourselves in the “depths,” let us not squander the opportunity to search ourselves in him. So that when the time comes, we may emerge from the valley closer to God, more unified as the church, and armed with a new vision that leads in the way everlasting.