Pero Estoy En Un Valle // But I'm In A Valley

Hoy comenzamos una nueva serie titulada Todo está bien. Today we begin a new series called Everything is Fine. Estoy seguro que la mayoría de ustedes ha visto este meme. And I'm sure that the majority of you have seen this meme before. La casa se está quemando. The house is on fire. Pero bueno, todo está bien. But everything is fine. Y algunos de ustedes ahora mismo están sentados aquí. And some of you right now are sitting in here. Y tal vez están pensando. And maybe you're thinking. Esa es mi vida en este momento. That is my life in this moment. Porque esa suele ser la respuesta que las personas dan. Because that tends to be the response that people give. Cuando tú les preguntas, ¿cómo están? When you ask them, how are you? Todo está bien. Everything is fine. ¿Cómo está tu familia? How's your family? Oh, todo está bien. Oh, everything is fine. ¿Cómo está tu matrimonio? How's your marriage? De lo mejor. Todo está bien. Oh, it's the best. Everything is fine.

¿Cómo está tu alma? How is your soul? Todo está bien. Everything is fine. Pero realmente nosotros sabemos. But truly we know. En el fondo de nuestra vida. Deep down in our lives. Si somos honestos. If we're being honest. Que no todo está bien. We know that not everything is fine. Tú no aceptarías esas respuestas en áreas importantes de tu vida. You wouldn't accept this response in important areas of your life. Por ejemplo, si vas a tener una cirugía. For example, if you go to get surgery. Y te despiertas. And you wake up. Y le dices al cirugano, doctor, ¿cómo salió mi cirugía? And you say to the surgeon, doctor, how did my surgery go? Oh, todo está bien. Oh, everything is fine. No aceptarás esa respuesta. You won't accept that answer. ¿Cómo? ¿Qué quieres decir con todo está bien? What do you mean everything is fine? Dime que todo salió perfecto. Tell me everything turned out perfect. Esposos, cuando ustedes miren a su esposa molesta. Husbands, when you see your wives upset.

Y le preguntas, ¿cómo estás? And you ask them, how are you? Si ella te responde con, ¿todo está bien? If she answers you and says, everything is fine. Tú sabes que no debes de aceptar esa respuesta. You know that you shouldn't take that answer. Porque no es cierto. Because it's not true. Los padres cuando miran a sus hijos deprimidos. Parents, when you see your kids depressed. Y les preguntan, ¿cómo están? And you ask them, how are you? Y los muchachos responden. And they answer you. No se preocupen. Don't worry. Todo está bien. Everything is fine. Los padres saben que no todo está bien. Parents know that not everything is fine. Y tú quieres que tus hijos hablen contigo. And you want for your kids to talk to you. Porque como padre tú quieres ayudarlos. Because as a parent you want to help them. Y continuas preguntando. And you keep asking. Hasta que finalmente ellos abren su corazón. Until they finally open up their hearts. Sobre el problema que está por debajo. About the problem that is underneath.

¿Por qué será que nuestras vidas? Why is it that in our lives. Nos decimos esta mentira. We tell ourselves this lie. Y nos esforzamos por creerla tanto. And we try so hard to believe it. Y creer que todo está bien. And believe that everything is fine. Y en esta serie vamos a estar hablando de áreas. And in this series we're going to be talking about areas. En las que a menudo no nos sentimos bien. In which we frequently don't feel fine. Porque debajo de esa frase. Because underneath this phrase. Está la verdad. Is the truth. Hoy podrías decir. Today you could say. Lo puedes escribir. And you can write this down. Todo está bien. Pero estoy en un valle. Everything is fine. But I'm in a valley. Estoy luchando. I'm struggling. Estoy en una temporada oscura. I'm in a dark season. Estoy en un momento difícil. I'm in a difficult moment.

Estoy en un valle. I'm in a valley. Pero los valles no son zonas aisladas. But valleys aren't isolated areas. Si ves un valle, siempre hay una montaña. If you see a valley, there is always a mountain. Si ves una montaña, siempre verás un valle. If you see a mountain, you will always see a valley. Porque las montañas y los valles crecen juntos. Because mountains and valleys, they grow together. Siempre hay ambas cosas. There is always both. Y esa es la imagen de la vida. And that is the image of life. Déjame darte algunas cosas sobre los valles. Let me give you some things about the valleys. Número uno. Número uno. Los valles son parte de la vida. The valleys are part of life. Ojalá pudiera decirte en esta mañana. I wish I could tell you this morning. Que si simplemente tuviera suficiente fe. That if you simply just had enough faith. Podrías vivir una vida libre de valles. You could live a life free of valleys. Y eso sería muy bueno. And that would be so good. Pero eso no es cierto. But that is not true.

Todos experimentamos montañas y valles. Y a veces al mismo tiempo. We all experiment. experience mountains and valleys and sometimes at the same time. Por ejemplo, si tu matrimonio va muy bien. For example, if your marriage is going very well. Pero uno de tus hijos está tomando decisiones horribles. But one of your kids is making really bad decisions. Tu trabajo está increíble. Your job, work is incredible. Obtuviste un aumento y tienes gracia con tus jefes. You got a raise and you found favor with your bosses. Pero tu salud no va bien y tus emociones son débiles. But your health isn't going so well and your emotions are weak. Tal vez tus relaciones con tus padres están floreciendo. Maybe your relationship with your parents is flourishing. Pero tus amistades están fracasando. But your friendships are failing. Y te sientes completamente solo. And you feel completely alone. Cimas de montañas y valles. Mountaintops and valleys. No sería bueno vivir una vida. Wouldn't it be good to live a life. De una cima de la montaña a la otra. Where you go from one mountaintop to another. ¿Por qué la vida no puede ser así? Excuse me, why can't life be this way? De una cima, de una montaña a otra. Going from one mountaintop to another.

Por ejemplo, te casas. For example, you get married. Y no tienes peleas y nunca tienes discusiones. And you never fight and you never have any disagreements. Oh, eso sería maravilloso. That would be wonderful. Y de repente tienes hijos. And then all of a sudden you have kids. Toda la mañana se despiertan con deseo de hacer un devocional. And every morning they wake up wanting to do a devotional. También con mucho deseo de leer la Biblia. And wanting to read the Bible so much. Sus cuartos están limpios y ordenados. Their rooms are clean and organized. Están sacando puras A's. They're getting nothing but A's in school. Están lavando el carro. They're washing your car. Y nunca tienes que corregirlos. And you never have to correct them. ¿Por qué la vida no puede ser así? Why can't life be like this? De una cima, de una montaña a la otra. From one mountaintop to another. Pero esa no es la vida. But that is not life. La vida está llena de cimas, de montañas y llena de valles. Life is full of mountaintops and valleys. Viene con grandes problemas. It comes with many problems.

Y con grandes decepciones. And many disappointments. Esta es la razón, número dos. And this is the reason, number two. Los valles limitan tu visión. Valleys limit your vision. Y de repente oscurece y no puedes ver. And then all of a sudden it gets dark and you can't see. Cuando no tienes visión del futuro. When you don't have vision for the future. Pierde la esperanza en el presente. You lose hope for the present. Y algunos de ustedes han perdido la esperanza en el presente. And some of you have lost hope for your present. Porque no puedes ver hacia dónde te llevará el mañana. Because you can't see where your tomorrow will take you. Y empiezas a preguntarte. And you begin to ask yourself. ¿Dónde está Dios en medio de mi valle? Where is God in the middle of my valley? Y esto nos lleva al número tres. And this takes us to number three. Los valles son desalentadores. Valleys are discouraging. No es cierto que cuando comenzamos a caminar por un valle. Isn't it true that when we start walking through a valley. Cuando comenzamos a caminar por una situación difícil. When we start walking through a difficult situation. Al principio sentimos que tenemos la suficiente fuerza de voluntad. In the beginning we feel like we have enough willpower.

Para luchar y seguir adelante. To fight and keep moving forward. Y decimos llegaré al otro lado. And we say I'm going to get to the other side. Pero luego realmente vemos lo difícil que es la situación. But then we truly see how difficult the situation is. Y en algún lugar en medio del valle. Comienzas a perder la esperanza. And at some point in the valley you begin to lose hope. Nos cansamos, nos frustramos. We get tired, we get frustrated. Y sentimos como que Dios no nos está escuchando. And we feel like God isn't listening to us. Pero cuando miramos las escrituras. But when we look at the scriptures. Es interesante que los valles representan varias cosas. It's interesting that the valleys represent several things. Primero los valles eran lugares donde se libraban grandes batallas. First the valleys were places where great battles were fought. Así que un valle es un lugar de batallas. So a valley is a place of battle. Pero también era un lugar de soledad. But it was also a place of loneliness. Y un lugar de desesperación. And a place of desperation. Las escrituras mencionan el nombre de un valle. The scriptures mention the name of one valley. Por el que muchos caminarían. Where many would pass through. Lo dice el Salmo 84.6.

And it says it in Psalms 84.6. Atravesando el valle de Baca. As they pass through the valley of Baca. Un nombre interesante para un valle. It's an interesting name for a valley. Puedes escribir esto. And you can write this down. Baca significa llanto o lágrimas. Baca means weeping or tears. En esos días cuando la gente se dirigía a Jerusalén. And during these days when people headed to Jerusalem. Muchos tomaban un camino que les exigía pasar por este valle. Many took a path that required them to go through this valley. El Valle de Baca. The Valley of Baca. Los árboles en este valle crecían altos, grandes. The trees in this valley grew so tall. Y la savia brotaba de los árboles. And the sap flowed from the trees. Entonces literalmente parecía que los árboles estaban llorando. So it literally looked like the trees were crying. Es por eso que el Valle de Baca se traduce de diferentes maneras en las escrituras. This is why the Valley of Baca is translated in many ways in the scripture. Se le llama el Valle de Lágrimas. It's called the Valley of Tears. Se le llama el Valle del Llanto. It's called the Valley of Weeping. Se le llama el Valle de la Pérdida. It's called the Valley of Loss. Me pregunto si esto podría describir el valle.

I wonder whether this could describe the valley. Al que estás enfrentando hoy. That you are facing today. Y algo puede suceder en el valle. And something can happen in the valley. Número cuatro. Number four. Los valles pueden convertirse en tu hogar. Valleys can turn into your home. Porque se suponía que íbamos a pasar por el Valle de Baca. Because we're supposed to pass through the Valley of Baca. No a crear un hogar allí. Not create a home in it. Pero lo que sucede muchas veces en la vida de las personas. But what happens many times in the lives of people. Que la dificultad que ven. Is that the difficulty they see. La empiezan a llamar algo normal. They begin to call it something normal. Y establecieron una tienda. And they set up a tent. Y dicen. And they say. Sé que esto no es lo mejor. I know that this isn't the best. Pero esto está bien. But it's fine. Estoy bien. I'm fine. Todo está bien.

Everything is fine. ¿Cómo está tu vida en el valle? How's your life in the valley? Bien. Fine. Ya me estoy acostumbrando. I'm getting used to it. Y hasta ponemos una fogatita. And then we even set up this little fire. Para preparar el cafecito. To prepare the coffee. Y ahuyentar los mosquitos. And keep the mosquitoes away. Y empezamos a decir. And we begin to say. Así es como siempre me voy a sentir. This is how I'm always going to feel. Así es como siempre será mi vida. This is how my life will always be. Siempre voy a luchar. I'm always going to struggle. Mi familia siempre será así de disfuncional. My family will always be this dysfunctional. Siempre trataré así con los conflictos. I will always handle conflicts like this. Y empezamos a vivir. And we begin to live. En un lugar. In a place. Donde Dios nunca nos llamó a vivir.

Where God never called us to live in. Se suponía que tenías que atravesar el valle. You were supposed to pass through the valley. No quedarte a vivir allí. Not stay in the valley to live. Y nos comienza a preguntarnos. God begins to ask us. ¿Por qué estás construyendo un hogar? Why are you building a home? En el lugar de lágrimas. In the place of tears. En el lugar de dolor. In the place of pain. En el lugar de la pérdida. In the place of loss. Dios nos comienza a preguntar todo eso. God begins to ask us all these things. Porque muchos de nosotros. Because many of us. Convertimos nuestros valles. We turn our valleys. En nuestro hogar. Into our home. Cuando Dios dice. When God says. Si yo tengo un hogar listo para ti. I have a home ready for you. Un hogar lleno de sanidad. A home full of healing. Un hogar lleno de gozo.

A home full of joy. Un hogar lleno de propósito. A home full of purpose. Y de repente te encuentras atrapado en tu tienda. And then you suddenly find yourself trapped in your tent. Tu tienda se convierte en tu prisión. Your tent becomes your prison. Y tu prisión se convertirá en tu tumba. And your prison will become your grave. Yo no sé en qué clase de valle tú estás. I don't know what type of valley you're in. Pero Dios nunca nos llamó a vivir en uno. But God never called us to live in one. Y si vas a salir del valle. And if you're going to come out of the valley. Número uno. Number one. Abre tus ojos al Dios que camina contigo en el valle. Open your eyes to the God that walks with you in the valley. No sé con quién estoy hablando en esta mañana. I don't know who I'm talking to this morning. Pero tal vez estás aquí. But maybe you're here. Y te sientes completamente solo. And you feel completely alone. Pero quiero decirte. But I want to tell you. Que Dios está contigo en el valle. That God is with you in the valley. Estás en este cuarto lleno de gente.

You're in this room full of people. Pero por dentro te sientes solo en el valle. But on the inside you feel alone in the valley. David lo dijo. Salmo 23. Aún cuando yo pase por el valle más oscuro. No temeré. Even though I walk through the darkest valley. I will fear no evil. Porque tú estás aquí. For you are with me. David is saying, this place is too dark, but I'm not alone. So don't allow your valley to lie to you, to tell you that you are alone and that God is absent. The presence of a valley in your life doesn't indicate the absence of your God in your life. The truth is, valleys have a way of getting our attention. Because when you're in a valley, you suddenly find yourself thinking about God. David did it. He said, though I am walking through the darkest valley, you are with me. Because on the mountaintop, people tend to forget about God. They forget that God helped them to go through the valley. And when they're going through a good moment in their lives, they want to take the credit. Because on the mountain, we smile. On the mountain, we take selfies. On the mountain, we walk with confidence. But we don't take selfies in the valley. Because the valleys get our attention. Because when life brings you to a valley, it will bring you to your knees. Because the valleys make me think about God. Valleys make me think about prayer.

And I realize that I am not my own source. I wonder if God is trying to get your attention today. Now don't forget this. God will never cause the valley. But he can use the valley to get your attention. So that you can examine the source of your strength. Psalm 84. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. Because God is my strength on this path. So I'm not going to put my strength on myself. But I have connected my strength to you, O God. And it continues to say, as they pass through the valley of Baca. So when I'm going through this valley, I realize that God is with me. Now the valley is only in the middle of the journey. And this takes me to number two. Middle moments are not your final moments. The enemy wants to stop your journey. So that you can give up in the middle. So that you can stop in the middle. And do you know why? Because the enemy wants you to die in the valley. So that the valley can become the graveyard of your dreams. But I want to tell you today that your middle moment in the journey is not your final moment. I know you set up a tent. I know you started to call it your home. In fact, you even started painting the walls. And you hung some pictures. But it's time to move out. God is telling you today. It's time to come out of your tent.

It's time to keep walking. That is just a season. That will pass as well. It's not a life sentence. It's a path. It's not your home. It's time to say and come out. Because this is not a death sentence for your life. This is not where your story ends. If you're ever going to come out of the valley, number three, ignore the valley dwellers. Because it's easy to remain in the valley when it's surrounded by people that also stopped in the valley. It's easy to remain in the valley when you surround yourself by other valley dwellers. And the valley dwellers are people who always look back. They never look forward. They're always talking about what was. They never talk about what could be. It's the people that in the moment that you begin to take steps, they want to pull you back. In the moment that you come out of your tent and you want to start walking, these people say to you, what, you think you're better than us? And they try to make you feel guilty so that you can stay with them in the valley. And you already know some people like this that say to you, oh, you go to church? What, you think you're holy? The valley dwellers, they want to keep you there. This is why be careful about the voices that you allow into your life. Because the valley dwellers will always say to you, this is how it's always been. Things will never change. Things will never get better. You will never be a good parent.

You'll never be able to have a good marriage that is an example for others. You will never come out of poverty. You'll never come out of this generational dysfunction. And you'll never be able to break free of this addiction. Because the valley dwellers, they want to keep you in the valley. And do you know why? Because dreams die in the valley. Vision dies in the valley. Your potential dies in the valley. And in the moment that you come out of your tent, those people feel uncomfortable. Because your faith shines on their lack of faith. Your hope shines on their lack of hope. Your progress shines on their lack of wanting to move forward. And you're making them feel uncomfortable because of the steps that you're taking. So ignore the valley dwellers. And number four, surround yourself with trailblazers. Surround yourself with people that refuse to stay in the valley. Surround yourself with people that keep walking. People that keep moving. People that keep growing. Because their actions will challenge you. Their movement will motivate you. And watch and see that as you move, you will also encourage someone else. This is why it's so vital to surround yourself with the right people. You need them and they need you. We can't pass through the valley alone. This is why it's so important to be part of a small group, a group of trailblazers that help each other mutually in their journey. We need to realize the following, and you can write this down. Number five, mountaintops don't produce fruit.

Only valleys do. Have you ever seen a mountaintop? There's a lot of ice. There's a lot of wind. But there is no fruit. Because the fruit grows in the valley, and the valley is where growth is produced, and the valley is where perseverance is produced. And God uses the valley to make you stronger, to make you better, and to make you grow. Look at what the Apostle Peter said. So be truly glad, there is wonderful joy ahead. We would love for this verse to end there. There is wonderful joy ahead, amen, Disney and Donuts. That's what I'm thinking when I see this. But the verse doesn't stop there. Look at what it continues to say. Even though you must endure many trials for a little while, these trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold. Though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise. And glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. Because in the hands of God, your valley will always produce something of value. As a test that purifies gold. I want to tell you last year in December, my family and I went to Georgia. And we got to a place where we were going to go to the mountaintop. We got out of the car and the sign said three miles. When I saw that it was going to take three miles, I said, I'm not going. But it wasn't so much the miles. It was because it was so cold. And the wind was blowing so hard. Listen, I was so bundled up and wearing gloves.

I couldn't feel my hands. They were completely asleep. Numb. And I said to my family, you can go without me. I said, I am not going to torture myself over there. And they got mad at me. And they tried to convince me, but it didn't work. They left. I had walked like 50 steps. And there I came back. I went to the machine. I got myself some hot chocolate. I got in the van. I turned it on. I turned on the heater. I laid back. That was my vacation. Outside it was torture. A few hours later they were coming, laughing, excited, sharing the experience. And they started sharing pictures that they took of the top of the mountain. And several videos. I saw that their goal was to make me feel bad. Because I didn't want to go. Listen, I saw those pictures. It was so beautiful. The views from the mountaintop were beautiful. They didn't talk much about the mountaintop. They showed me all the videos. That they took of the journey before they got to the mountaintop. And you know what?

They were able to make me feel bad. And I said, I missed out. But it was too late. And I love what Billy Graham says. The mountaintops are for the views and inspiration. But fruit is grown in the valleys. You get views from the mountaintop, but the valley produces growth. This is why I can tell you the following. We get to enjoy God on the mountain, but we get to know Him in the valley. I love mountaintops. But wow! How I come to know God in a deeper way in the valley of life. I learn more about God in the valleys, because the truth is, you don't become stronger when things are easy. The most important experiences in your life is not when everything is easy. You learn that in the valley. You become stronger in the valley. You don't learn much when everything turns out as you planned, and everyone behaves the way that you wanted them to behave. But the greatest and most important lessons that I've learned in my life, as a follower of Jesus, as a husband, as a father, it's when things have gotten difficult. That is where God makes us grow. And eventually you will make it to the other side. Psalm says it. As they pass through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs. The autumn rains also cover it with pools. And that is an image of blessing. And then it says they go from strength to strength until each appears before God in Zion. So the God that is with you will sustain you until you get to the other side. And here is the last point, number six.

You get stronger as you take steps forward. God is calling you forward. How do I pass through the valley? One step at a time. I am just passing through. This is why I'm going to continue to walk. Whether I'm in the valley right now, but I'm not going to live in it. I could be in the valley, but my home is not in this valley. I'm just passing through here. Because there's always another step forward. For example, it could be to pray again. It could be to connect with a church. It doesn't have to be this one. It could be to forgive someone. It could be to join a small group today. It could be going through the next step classes that we have and become part of the team here at church. I don't know what your next step is, but you will become stronger as you keep moving forward. God calls you to come out of that tent today and keep walking forward. The valley doesn't mean that you're weak. The valley only means that you're becoming stronger and you become stronger when you keep moving forward. I invite you to close your eyes. Thank you so much for watching the message. Subscribe to this channel so you won't miss a video and share it with a friend. Also, we want to encourage you to partner with us through your giving. We can take this message further and faster and make a difference in the lives of so many people. You can give using the link below or by visiting our website.

at MyVisionChurch.org. Puedes dar usando el link abajo o visitándonos en nuestro sitio web at MyVisionChurch.org. We love you so much and we're looking forward to seeing you back here next time. Los amamos mucho y esperamos verlos nuevamente la próxima vez.