What About the Plains and Prairies?

Photo by American Jael on Unsplash

As Christians, we talk a lot about how God carries us through our deep valleys and rejoices with us on our mountain tops. It’s only natural that we focus on these types of circumstances because as humans, we tend to focus on the times when things were really difficult or really amazing. We need encouragement when things are rough and we want to celebrate with others when things are great. But what about the in-between parts of our lives — the prairies and plains?

I was thinking about this the other day for no particular reason when it occurred to me — I don’t think I can recall a time when I heard someone talk about how God continues to be with us when life is “flat”, like a prairie.

When most of us think about a prairie or the Great Plains of America, nothing particular springs to mind other than the sea of grass we’ve all seen in pictures and movies. The Great Plains are after all, well, plain — pun intended. There’s nothing especially challenging to climb or dangerous to traverse. There aren’t even rolling hills. For the most part, the plains are just vast swaths of relatively flat land with not a lot of the gorgeous landscaping you’d expect to see in the mountains or coastlines. You can see for miles and miles. In fact, there are any number of jokes about how you can watch your dog run away and 3 days later, you can still see him running away.

As I was thinking about how a lot of our lives can be more like a plain than struggling through a rough valley or celebrating at the top of a mountain, I began to wonder why I haven’t heard more talk about how God is with us when things seem relatively normal.

Then it dawned on me. I have.

When everything seems normal, with no pressing stresses or challenges on the horizon, that is when we are most tempted to stray from God. We start to believe the subtle lies that we can take care of ourselves, we don’t need anyone’s help, we’re not doing such a bad job in life, and we’re doing a pretty great job of managing everything we need to manage. Left unchecked, those attitudes mature into arrogance, pride, selfishness, and greed just to name a few.

So while we may not be drowning in grief, overwhelmed with anxiety, or battling with fear about our current situation, we are still very much in need of spending time with God each and every day. In fact, I would argue that we need to spend even more time when things feel normal. When things are rough, we naturally turn to God and ask for His help and provision. When things are going smoothly, however, it’s easy to skip our daily prayer time a day, or two, or ten.

You may ask why we should spend even more time with God when things feel normal.

Why? Ask me a simple question and I’ll give you a simple yet profound answer — humility.

The more time I spend with God, the more I learn about Him and the countless ways He provides for me and blesses me. Don’t misunderstand me — I’m not saying that I never struggle with anything in life or that everything is coming up roses for me. I am not promoting a health and wealth gospel!

What I am saying is that time spent with my Father helps me to remember that He is always in control and I am not. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” — Deuteronomy 31:8

If He is going before me, how could He not be in control?!

Verses like Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” are powerful reminders for me when I find myself back in the trenches. When I say spend time with God, I mean — read the Bible, memorize verses, talk with Him. God is so faithful to meet us in our weakness with love, compassion, and mercy. One of His mercies is prompting us to recall Bible verses we’ve memorized that comfort, encourage, and uplift us when we feel alone and afraid.

There is a well-known quote that I love to remind myself of when things are tough. “I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” Not knowing the future keeps me humble because I know that I can control very little in my world. My close relationship with my Heavenly Father comforts me because I know He knows the future, loves me, and has great plans for me. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11

If you currently find yourself in a season of walking through the prairie or the plains, where there isn’t anything spectacular to celebrate and you’re not battling with fear or anxiety, remember to give thanks for this time of life. Smooth journeys should be celebrated as much as mountain top accomplishments!

I encourage you to go a step further after you have given thanks — commit to spending time with God each day through prayer and reading the Bible so that when things do start to get rough, you can remind yourself of God’s goodness, protection, love, and presence with the wealth of knowledge you’ve been storing away!

While we shouldn’t live waiting for the other shoe to drop, we know that in this life we will have trouble. Make a daily habit of reading your Bible and talking with God starting today! What He speaks into your heart and mind will help you in your own life and might also be the needed encouragement in the life of someone you meet.