06 Worship in the Valley

Opening Song

“We gather to be formed in God’s presence so we can be sent into our community”

DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Our church family is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit, and we are missionaries.

After greeting prayer: “Lord, open our eyes this week to those who are curious about faith.”

Announcements:

We’re not spectators here, we’re participants. Giving and filling out a Connect Card are practical ways to let us know you’re with us on mission.

You can complete a Connect Card at sangamonvalley.net/ConnectCard or by using a green outlined paper Connect Card today.

Giving: You can give in the box, online, through the app, or by mail.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENT: ____

PRAY FOR FOURSQUARE CONNECTION THIS WEEK!

5/29 Youth Fundraiser - also great OUTREACH opportunity.

These are not events to attend — it is an environment to build relationships.

BABY DEDICATION: Call up Parents Damon & Britney McElhaney with Molly Lina Jean (siblings: Morgan (4), James (3), Emmett (2))

MEMORIAL DAY VIDEO - remember military who died while serving

Prayer for...

Louise - surg. On Tuesday

Mark Taylor - surg. this week on cornea

Sermon

***Valley with water falls in Philippines*** (PICTURES)

THE TENSION

(Why This Matters - Name the struggle)

Over the last several weeks we’ve discovered:

Worship is surrender

Worship should form us

Worship should unite us

Worship should send us

But what happens when worship meets pain?

What happens when:

prayers go unanswered,

life feels heavy,

circumstances don’t change,

and God feels silent TO YOU?

Can worship survive the valley?

THE PROBLEM:

Most people naturally connect worship to victory.

We worship when:

life is good,

prayers are answered,

breakthrough comes,

and joy is easy.

But valleys expose what kind of worship we actually have Because worship built only on blessing will collapse in suffering.

BIG IDEA: True worship is not dependent on circumstances, it is rooted in the character and presence of God.

STORY

(Relatable Entry Point - vulnerable authenticity - emotional connection)

Elisabeth Elliot

Husband Jim Elliot killed by the Waorani tribe in Ecuador

Later returned to minister to the same people

Learned worship meant surrendering bitterness and trusting God in grief

***The deepest surrender was not losing her husband, it was returning in love.***

Worship in the valley doesn’t always sound triumphant, but it can still be deeply faithful.

THE SCRIPTURE

(Context, Characters, Read)

Acts 16:22–26 “22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.”

Paul and Silas:

beaten

imprisoned

chained

Yet they worship.

Not because circumstances changed, but because God was still worthy.

Psalm 42:1–11 “1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival. 5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation 6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me. 8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

The psalmist is:

discouraged

grieving

spiritually dry

Yet he continues turning toward God….praising, singing, remembering

THE DISCOVERY

(What We See Unfolding — 3 Movements: What does this reveal about God? - What does this reveal about us? - What lie is being confronted?)

1. Valleys Reveal What Our Worship Is Built On

Anyone can worship when life makes sense.

But valleys expose:

whether worship is rooted in feelings,

outcomes,

or God Himself.

The psalmist says: “Why are you cast down, O my soul?”

He is honest about his pain.

What this reveals about us: We often connect God’s goodness to our circumstances.

What this reveals about God: God welcomes honest worship, not pretend worship.

Lie being confronted: “If I’m struggling, I must be failing spiritually.”

Truth: Faithful worship can coexist with deep pain.

2. Worship Is Not Denial, It Is Defiant Hope

Paul and Silas worship in prison. Not because suffering is enjoyable. Not because pain disappeared. But because worship declares: “God is still worthy here.”

Worship in the valley becomes an act of spiritual resistance.

What this reveals about us: We often wait for circumstances to improve before turning toward God.

What this reveals about God: God remains faithful and present even in suffering.

Lie being confronted: “I can only worship when I feel victorious.”

Truth: Worship is often strongest when it rises in weakness.

3. Worship Reorients Our Attention

The valley naturally narrows our focus:

pain,

fear,

uncertainty,

disappointment.

But worship lifts our eyes.

The psalmist repeatedly says: “Hope in God.”

Worship does not ignore reality—it re-centers reality around God’s presence.

What this reveals about us: We easily become consumed by what is happening around us.

What this reveals about God: God’s presence is not absent in the valley.

Lie being confronted: “God has abandoned me.”

Truth: God walks with us through valleys, not just mountaintops.

4. Valleys Can Deepen Worship

Some forms of worship only emerge through suffering:

dependence,

intimacy,

surrender,

perseverance.

The valley strips away superficial faith.

And sometimes the deepest worship is not loud praise—but quiet trust.

What this reveals about us: We often want escape more than transformation.

What this reveals about God: God uses valleys not to destroy us, but to deepen us.

Lie being confronted: “The valley means God is against me.”

Truth: God can produce deeper faith through difficult seasons. - Hebrews 12:2 “2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

IDENTITY SHIFT

(Who does this reveal God to be? Who does this reveal us to be?)

God is faithful in every season—not just in victory. He is present in suffering, near to the brokenhearted, and worthy in every valley.

We are not fair-weather worshipers. We are people who trust God in joy and sorrow, on mountaintops and in valleys.

PRACTICE OBEDIENCE

(Next Steps - Application)

1. Be Honest With God

Stop pretending.

Bring real emotions into prayer and worship.

2. Worship Before You Feel It

Don’t wait for emotional breakthrough to turn toward God.

3. Remember God’s Faithfulness

Write down moments where God has carried you before.

4. Move your body

Practical Step:

Walk

Exercise

Stretch

Spend time outside

Physical movement lowers stress hormones and improves mood regulation.

Source: https://www.apa.org/topics/exercise-fitness/stress?

5. Sleep

Protect sleep

Build rhythms of rest

Take a Sabbath (challenging for me)

Lack of sleep significantly increases stress, emotional reactivity, and anxiety.

Rest is an act of trust: God can keep working while I sleep.

Psalm 4:8 “8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

The Echo in the Valley

In the mountains, echoes are strongest in valleys.

When you shout into a valley, the sound carries farther than you expect.

Sometimes worship works the same way.

The songs sung in suffering often echo deeper than the songs sung in comfort.

Not because the valley is good— but because God meets us there in a deeper way.

Call Up Melanie & Music Team

Anybody can worship when life feels easy.

But worship in the valley says:

God is still good,

God is still present,

and God is still worthy.

Even here.

As we worship now, don’t feel pressure to pretend.

Bring your real fears, pain, disappointment, and exhaustion to God.

Because worship is not pretending the valley isn’t real.

It’s trusting that God is still with you in it.

Worship Thru Music

Commissioning:

This week, build one relationship. Pray for one person far from God.

As you depart…Take one step toward discipling someone.

TALK IT OVER

Why is worship harder in painful seasons?

What stood out to you from Psalm 42 or Acts 16?

How have valleys shaped your faith?

What helps you stay connected to God during difficult seasons?

How can worship become an act of hope in suffering?