Lynda Randle has a beautiful hymn with the following refrain:

And the God on the mountain is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, He’ll make them right
And the God of the good times is still God in the bad times
The God of the day is still God in the night

This is one of the best reminders that God is greater than the highs and the lows. As humans, we are often affected by our environment – more like a thermometer. But God remains constant no matter the environment – more like a thermostat. So, whether you are in a good place or in a bad place, you can always look at your environment and remember that God is always greater than any high or any low you can have in life. 

God is greater than the highs

It is easy to seek God when things are not going your way. It is easier to have faith in God when you are in bad health, are in debt, or are going through some other form of crisis. Most revivals happened when people were desperate for change and were pushed by their circumstances to seek God more. 

Unfortunately, we tend to forget the mercies of God when everything is great. We tend to forget that it is God who helped us to attain the success we are enjoying. The devil easily blinds the successful to thinking they have attained great heights solely based on their ingenuity and hard work. God knew how easily Israel would fall into this trap and saw he gave them the following warning:

Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’ But you are to remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, in order to confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:17:18

This was God warning Israel before they stepped into Canaan. He knew Canaan was their place of rest – a land flowing with milk and honey. It was a place where they didn’t have to work like slaves in order to eat as was the case in Egypt. But the danger was, complacency could also set in and they would forget that it had taken the hand of God for them to reach there. 

It is human nature to want the praise of men for every little achievement. But it is in such moments of success that you must pause and consider how futile your efforts would be without God’s help. So times, God’s help is so open that anyone can see it. But oftentimes, God works behind the scenes and it takes an alert spirit to see the hand of God in every little or big achievement. So, whether his hand was visible or invisible – always remember that God is greater than any high. 

God is greater than the lows

God is not only greater than the highs – he is also greater than the lows. One of the best references for low moments is the book of Psalms. There are lots of times when the Psalmist complained to God about his lows.

• He complained about his close friends who betrayed him ( Psalms 41:9)
• He complained about the success of the wicked while the righteous were suffering (Psalms 73)
• He lamented about his iniquities (Psalms 51)
• He complained about God’s seemingly reluctance to answer (Psalms 13:1)

But as much as David voiced his concerns, he always came back to his senses and remembered that however bleak the situation was, He could count on God to help him out. One day in his old age, he looked back at his life and made the following assessment:

I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. Psalms 37:25

Suffice it to say that David understood that no matter how low he gets, God would always be greater than his lowest low. 

Another good illustration of this timeless truth is the Apostle Paul. When writing to the church at Corinth, he opens up and narrates some of the things he has had to endure as a preacher of the gospel.

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 2 Cor. 1123-27

To put it simply, the Apostle Paul was making it clear that he was not holding on to his faith because he faced it easy. He wanted the church at Corinth to know that he probably faced it rougher than most of them. But even though he went through all that (and probably more), he didn’t despair. He continued preaching the gospel of the Kingdom as God had called him to do. Even when he knew he was risking his life to do it, he didn’t think twice. The Apostle knew that However bad it gets, he could always count on God’s presence. And no, he wasn’t sure that God would deliver him from every challenge – he just had the assurance that he would eventually overcome by wearing the victor’s crown on the other side of death. 

So, however low you get, you can learn from the examples of people like David and Paul and take comfort in the fact that God will always be greater than your lows. 

Conclusion

The phrase “God is greater than the highs and lows” may not be a direct quote from the Bible but it is still a relevant Biblical principle nonetheless. It should remind you to always keep a level head no matter your environment or circumstances. Always remember, God changes circumstances but circumstances never change God.