Have you ever rejoiced over your tribulation? Over your troubles? Honestly.

I’ve been reading the prophet Hosea as part of my morning devotions recently, and the hope found in Hosea 2:14-15 is profound, and yet troubling at the same time; we read,

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, and the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; she will sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.”

Several points stand out. The Lord brings his wayward people into the wilderness (from a root meaning order and speech) to speak comfort to her there: out there, not in familiar places. He will restore peace, represented by vineyards, “from there.” Finally, she will sing “there,” as in her youth when she was brought out of Egypt (Ex. 15).

There is a catch. Sorry. The location in the wilderness has a name: the Valley of Achor. I would translate this as: the Valley of Trouble. Again, sorry.

How we understand the “Valley of Trouble” is vital. As the Lord says, “I will give her … the Valley of Achor as a door of hope.” The door of hope, as the Lord speaks, is found in trouble. Yikes!

From this we learn that trouble actually becomes a servant of the Lord; however, it, trouble, only becomes our servant when we keep the Lord front and center in our heart, mind, and life: trouble forces us to focus.

In the Valley of Trouble, the door of hope is set, and it is open when we begin to “sing there, as in the days of her youth.” The Lord is encouraging us to sing in the Valley of Trouble, the door of hope, an is the days of our youth – as when we were first delivered.

From where does this peace come? Paul writes, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Ro. 5:1-2). Glory to God!

Those in Messiah Yeshua/Jesus are recipients of God’s uncommon grace, and that grace gives us hope in all situations, even in the Valley of Trouble. God promised to give vineyards from the Valley of Trouble, meaning the fruit of peace in the trouble that is the door of hope. It is Yeshua who stands in the midst of our trouble, giving the hope and peace that comforts. Hallelujah!

God will always backup His Word, as His promise (II Cor. 1:20), and He will keep your confidence in His Word. This hope, and word of promise is not, and I repeat, is not based on your performance, but His promise to enter into, and work “all things” together for our good, in order that we be conformed to the image of His Son (Ro. 8:28-29).

Paul’s use of the word “justified” in Romans 5:1 should be a cause of celebration and rejoicing. Simply: in Messiah, when God the Father sees you, he sees you as Jesus Himself. O praise His name!

Do you find yourself in a Valley of Trouble today? Start singing. He brought you to the trouble in order to draw you to, and deeper into His presence. Sing in the trouble, your door is before you, and His name is Yeshua/Jesus.

Be well. Shalom.