THREE ANGELS BROADCASTING NETWORK DEVOTIONAL
Mountaintops

By Eric Durant November 25th, 2025

“Your righteousness is like the great mountains.” Psalm 36:6

The sight of the mountains through the early morning fog was wonderful. Further out, surreal slivers of vapor hovered in the air surrounding God’s monument. Marilyn and I lived in Colorado early in our marriage and shared the company of these towering stone monoliths of God’s creative power. Every day I peered out over our balcony and saw a 14,115-foot reminder of just how small I am and how mighty God is. These snow-capped granite structures were humbling to my soul, majestic to my eyes, and somehow very comforting.​ ​

As amazing as the view must be from the top, I’ve never had a desire to climb one—probably because it’s always cold at the top—while the valleys are filled with flowers, rivers, and trees, and the aroma and colors change with each season, like a yearly kaleidoscope. Many want to be on the mountain top, but that’s not where we grow. We grow in the valleys of life, through the low points, challenges, and trials that help shape who we are.​

So, where are life’s blessings? Are they when we have everything, or when we have little? Perhaps they are somewhere in between. God called Moses up the mountain to be taught and prepared to return to the valley, and I believe he returned with a new appreciation for the Lord’s magnificent plan. There is wisdom to be gained from a mountaintop experience.​

Many people want to stay on the mountaintop, but they often seem cold and distant. They’re proud of themselves because on the mountaintop, everyone can see them. They believe they’re admired, and in some cases, they are. They’re the professional entertainers, sports athletes, singers, and prestigious individuals of many trades. But most people return to the valley, eventually—some willingly, and some unwillingly—because staying at the top isn’t spiritually sustainable or pleasant for very long. And sadly, some remain on the mountain forever.​

I had a friend in Los Angeles who had a huge 14-room mansion overlooking the valley. But all of them were empty, except for five—a bedroom, a gym, a living room, a bathroom, and a sports room. Why the big house? He told me it was all for appearances—and tax benefits. He wasn’t a happy person and eventually he lost it all.​

When he left the mountaintop, most of his friends left him, too. Drugs and pain settled in, and as he tried to climb back to the summit, his life slid into even greater darkness. I wonder if he ever found God and the peace mentioned in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So, where’s the best place to be for me? Though I love looking at the mountains, I have no need to be at the top. I’m quite happy in the valley, where things grow and the rivers flow. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:38.

So whatever your circumstance, valley or mountaintop, turn to Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. He will make the world around you blossom—and He might even clear a gentle path for you down the mountain to the valley, where the deer and the antelope play.