Feet of Deer: How God Elevates Us Above Difficulties

When Life Seems Like an Insurmountable Mountain

Imagine for a moment a deer running freely through the rocky mountains of the Middle East. Its hooves lightly touch the steep stones, it leaps over chasms that seem insurmountable, moving with a grace that defies gravity. There is no hesitation, no fear — just fluid and confident movement, even on the most dangerous terrain.

This is exactly how God desires to empower us to face the challenges of life.

I remember a particularly difficult time a few years ago when everything seemed to be crumbling at once. Financial problems piled up, relationships were tense, and I felt trapped in a dark valley, unable to see a way out. It was then that this verse from Psalm 18:33 came alive for me: "He makes my feet like the deer’s; and sets me on my high places."

In that moment, I realized that God was not just calling me to survive — He was equipping me to thrive amid difficulties.

Here is my question for you today: Have you ever felt trapped in a low place, where the walls of the valley seem to block all light? What if you could rise to a high place, where the perspective changes everything and the difficulties take on a different dimension?

The Story Behind David's Words

Psalm 18 was not written in a moment of tranquility. David composed it after being delivered from his enemies and, especially, from the hands of Saul — a man who relentlessly pursued him, forcing him to live as a fugitive for years.

Think about it: David intimately knew both the deep valleys and the mountain peaks. He had been a shepherd, a warrior, a fugitive, and a king. When he writes about feet like those of deer, he is not making abstract poetry — he is testifying about real experiences of divine deliverance.

The image of the deer held deep significance in David's culture. These animals were known for their ability to scale terrains that predators could not reach. When threatened, deer did not fight — they climbed. They found refuge in inaccessible heights, places where their pursuers could not reach.

The "high places" in the original Hebrew text (bamot) literally refer to mountainous elevations, but they also carry a spiritual connotation of victory, safety, and intimacy with God. It is being above circumstances, not by our own power, but because we have been lifted there by the One who controls all things.

The God Who Transforms Our Walk

The beauty of this promise lies in three crucial words: "He makes."

It does not say that we need to develop these feet on our own. It does not suggest that we must strive to attain this ability. The transformation is God's work. He is the one who empowers, strengthens, and repositions us.

God as Our Daily Sustainer

Just as the deer instinctively trusts its hooves for every step on the rocks, we are called to trust God for every step of our journey. It is not about occasional faith, but a constant dependence that recognizes: "Without Him, I cannot take a secure step."

Think about how you start your day. Do you wake up relying on your own strength or recognizing that you need divine empowerment even for the simplest tasks? The deer does not question its hooves — it simply trusts them. Likewise, our faith should become that natural and deep trust.

Overcoming from Above

The "high places" that God promises us are not free from challenges — they are positions of advantage over them. It is like the difference between being lost in a dense forest and observing it from the top of a mountain. The trees are still there, but your perspective has completely changed.

Have you ever stopped to think that many of your problems do not need to disappear for you to experience victory over them? Sometimes, God does not remove the obstacle — He gives you feet to leap over it.

Movement Amid Adversity

The image of the deer’s feet reminds us that God calls us to movement, not stagnation. Even in difficult times, growth is happening. Even when the terrain is steep, progress is being made.

I think of Joseph, sold as a slave, falsely accused, forgotten in prison. At each stage, he could have been paralyzed by injustice. But he kept moving, serving, growing — until God placed him in the high place He had prepared: second in command of Egypt.

Turning Promise into Practice

You might be thinking: "This is beautiful in theory, but how do I live this out day to day?" Let me share four practical applications that have transformed my own walk.

1. Face Your Challenges with Divine Perspective

When you encounter that seemingly insurmountable problem at work, that relationship that seems irreparable, or that financial situation that keeps you awake at night — pause and change your perspective.

Ask yourself: "If God promised to give me deer’s feet, what does He see in this situation that I am not seeing?" Write down specifically how this challenge could actually be an opportunity for you to experience divine empowerment in a new way.

I started doing this with my challenges, and the change was remarkable. What paralyzed me became a platform to witness God’s power.

2. Establish Daily Encounters with the One Who Elevates You

Deer do not develop their hooves overnight — it is a process. Similarly, our spiritual empowerment happens through constant communion with God.

Create a sacred moment in your routine — it could be early in the morning, during lunch, or before bed. In those minutes (start with 10-15 if it’s difficult), pray specifically asking God to show you:

• Where you are trying to climb on your own
• What high places He has prepared for you
• How He wants to empower you today

Write down what He shows you. You will be surprised when you reread those notes months later and realize how faithful God has been.

3. Be a Bridge for Others Who Are in the Valley

One of the most beautiful truths about the high places is that they give us a better view of those still struggling in the valley. Do not use your victory to distance yourself — use it to reach out.

Who in your circle is facing difficulties right now? How can you share not only words of encouragement but a living testimony of how God has empowered you? Sometimes, the simple act of saying "I’ve been through that too, and God was faithful" is the rope someone needs to start climbing.

Schedule a coffee with that person this week. Listen, pray, and share how God has been your rock.

4. Cultivate Gratitude as a Lifestyle

Get or set aside a simple notebook and turn it into your "High Places Journal." Each day, write down at least one situation where you noticed God’s intervention — it can be something big or small.

• That difficult conversation that went better than you expected
• The unexpected provision at just the right moment
• The peace amid chaos
• The wisdom to make a decision

Over time, this journal will become a visual map of how God has taken you from glory to glory, from height to height. On difficult days, reread it and remember: He who was faithful before will be faithful again.

Voices Echoing the Same Truth

The promise of Psalm 18:33 is not isolated in Scripture. It resonates throughout the entire Word of God:

Psalm 31:3 reminds us: "For you are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake, lead me and guide me." Not only does God give us firm feet — He Himself is our rock, our unshakeable foundation.

Isaiah 40:31 expands the metaphor: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles." The same divine empowerment that gives us deer’s feet also gives us eagle’s wings. God does not hold back in how He equips us!

Paul, writing from the context of the New Testament, captures this truth in Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It is not self-confidence — it is Christ-confidence. It is knowing that we are not alone in our climb.

And in Romans 8:37, we are reminded of the final outcome: "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Not just conquerors — more than conquerors. This means that we not only survive difficulties, but we come out of them transformed, strengthened, more like Christ.

Questions to Carry in Your Heart

Before we conclude, I invite you to pause and reflect honestly:

In what specific areas of your life do you feel the most need for the agility and strength that only God can provide? Be specific. Don’t just say "my life" — identify: is it in marriage? Finances? Work? Health? In a broken relationship?

How could the vision of "high places" change your perspective on the situation you are facing right now? If you could see your current challenge from the top of the mountain, what would be different?

In what ways have you been trying to climb on your own, when God is offering to empower you? Where do you need to stop relying solely on your own strength and start depending on His?

Your Invitation to the Heights

Friend, if there is one thing I want you to take from this time together, it is this: you were not created to live trapped in the valleys.

God has high places prepared for you — positions of victory, perspective, and intimacy with Him that go beyond what you can imagine right now. But these places are not reached by our own effort or human strategies. They are gifts from a Father who delights in lifting His children.

The question is not whether God can give you deer’s feet — He has already promised to do so. The question is: will you trust Him enough to take the next step?

Perhaps that step is forgiving someone who has hurt you deeply. Maybe it is making a decision you have been postponing out of fear. Perhaps it is simply kneeling down and saying: "Lord, I can’t do this alone. I need You to empower me."

Whatever your next step may be, know that you do not take it alone. The One who promised to give you deer’s feet and set you in high places is the same One who will walk with you, step by step, rock by rock, until you look back and realize: "He truly brought me to the heights."

How about we start now? Close your eyes for a moment and talk to God. You don’t need eloquent words — just honesty. Tell Him where you are, what you fear, and that you need Him. And then, rest in the promise that is already yours:

He makes my feet like the deer’s. He sets me in my high places.

Not someday. Not maybe. He makes. He sets. Present. Real. For you.

May your walk today be marked by this unwavering trust. And may, looking back someday, you be able to testify as I do: "He truly gave me deer’s feet. And the high places are more beautiful than I ever dreamed."