A Door of Hope in the Valley: How God Redeems Places of Trouble Through Christ

I grew up in church, yet somehow the story of Achan slipped past me.

I did not grasp its weight until I taught it years later. In Joshua 7, after the fall of Jericho, Israel experiences an unexpected defeat. It is confusing and devastating. They lose a battle they should have easily won.

Joshua falls on his face before the Lord, asking why this has happened. The Lord’s answer is direct and sobering.

“Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.” (Joshua 7:11, ESV)

This is not merely about one man’s private failure. It is about the communal weight of hidden sin and the holiness of a God who sees what is concealed.

Achan and the Valley of Trouble

Achan had taken what God declared was devoted to the Lord. He hid the stolen items beneath his tent, believing no one would know. But God sees, and hidden sin always reaches farther than we expect.

When Achan finally confesses, judgment follows. The place where this happens becomes known as the Valley of Achor.

“And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.” (Joshua 7:26, ESV)

The word Achor means trouble. This valley becomes a physical marker of failure, grief, and consequence. It is the place where everything went wrong. A place that should have carried only sorrow.

God’s Promise to Redeem the Valley

But God never leaves valleys untouched.

Centuries later, Israel wanders again. Once more, they turn away. And once more, God speaks, this time through the prophet Hosea. What He says is unexpectedly tender.

Hosea 2 records the Lord’s promise to allure His people, bring them into the wilderness, and speak to them with compassion. Then He says something astonishing.

“And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.” (Hosea 2:15, ESV)

The same valley once marked by judgment becomes a doorway to restoration.

God does not erase the valley. He transforms it from within. The place of shame becomes the soil of redemption. The site of trouble becomes the threshold of hope.

This is a pattern woven throughout Scripture. God redeems what is broken. He restores what was lost. He brings life from places that seemed sealed by sorrow.

The Valley of Achor and the Coming of Christ

This is where Christmas comes into view.

Jesus did not enter a world that was clean or ready or faithful. He stepped straight into our Achor. Our fear. Our sin. Our hidden things. Our unmet longings. Our moments when life whispered, this is not how the story was supposed to go.

He did not wait for us to climb our way out of the valley. He came into it Himself.

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11, ESV)

The miracle of Christmas is not that trouble disappeared. It is that God entered it.

Jesus is the Door of Hope God promised. He does not stand above our valleys calling us upward. He walks into them with us.

A Door of Hope Still Open

Your Achor is not the end.

Not the valley you fear. Not the place still aching.

God knows how to take the very ground of sorrow and open a doorway of grace.

A doorway of hope. A doorway named Jesus.

What once symbolized trouble does not get the final word. In Christ, even the deepest valley becomes a place where redemption begins.

Meet the Author
Amy Bunting

Amy is a sinner saved by grace, learning to live with joy even when life is hard. She’s been married to Bradley for nearly 25 years and is the mother of four — with one still (barely) in the nest.

Her family has walked through deep valleys, including her daughter’s chronic illness. Through it all, Amy has come to know the peace and faithfulness of Jesus in a deeply personal way as she learns to surrender.

She writes to offer the same hope and encouragement she’s received — quiet reminders that we are not alone, and that God is still good.

When she’s not writing, Amy teaches second grade! She hopes her students catch a glimpse of Jesus as she helps them to feel seen and loved. 

Connect with her on Instagram here.