Who Will You Believe?

You’ve probably heard the song by George Jones: The Lonesome Valley. Perhaps you’ve sung it in church. Here are some of the lyrics:

You gotta walk that lonesome valley, you gotta walk it by yourself; Nobody else can walk it for you, You gotta walk it by yourself.

You must go and stand your trials, you have to stand it by yourself, Nobody else can stand it for you, you have to stand it by yourself.

Oh, you gotta walk that lonesome valley, Oh, you gotta walk it by yourself; Nobody else is gonna walk it for you, You gotta walk, walk it by yourself.

Some think the song has a soft, melancholy melody, but the words of this song are nothing short of dangerous to the Christian’s spiritual health. Unlike these lyrics, Scripture from Genesis through Revelation assures us the man and woman of God NEVER walks a valley alone. God’s child NEVER journeys through trials alone.

Of the hundreds of promises in Scripture that contradict the song, here, for example, is what the Holy Spirit tells us through the Psalmist:

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there . . . If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me (Psalm 139:7-10).

And through the prophet Isaiah: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. (Isaiah 43:2).

And again through Isaiah: Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. (Isaiah 43:15-16)

And from the lips of the Lord Jesus: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Christian, be careful. Who are you going to believe? The Holy Spirit, or lyrics that contradict God's promises? We do not walk a lonesome valley by ourselves. Alone. Forgotten.

To believe that is to believe – and live – a terrible lie.