The Climb

Mountains. I’ve definitely seen my share of them, both physically and spiritually. 

I think everyone has. 

But, lately I’ve been thinking more and more about the mountains we climb, and I’ve realized that life itself is a mountain. 

It has winding paths, ones which we can choose from. 

Some of them are graceful dirt paths that are easy to walk on, while others are caked with mud and tumbling rocks. 

Maybe, just maybe, the mountain everyone always talks about climbing when you reach a hard spot in life is actually nothing but a little rock. 

The one tumbling at you on your path up your true mountain. 

A rock full of difficulty, one that can either knock you down or build you up….but in our human minds we have exaggerated the rock in our path to that of a mountain. 

Giving it more power over us than we’d like to admit.

Our mountain has its ups and downs, and sometimes we tumble so far that we hit rock bottom. We look up once again and continue our climb, or we sit and rest at the bottom.

We sit and cry out for strength to continue on.

We sit there feeling as if we have no purpose.

Then we remember our mountain, and we remember our purpose once again.

We question continuing on.

And then we do.

We go back to the beginning, back to choosing which path to take, but maybe this time we have learned. 

We remember which one made us trip over the rocks in our way, and so we choose another path up to the top of our life mountain.

Or maybe we choose the same path, having gained a new strength, ready to face the tumbling rocks.

Either way, we keep pushing, we keep climbing.

Sometimes people say they are stuck in life. 

Not knowing where to go or what to do next.

But I wonder if maybe they're just stopping to smell the roses.

They halt on the edge of their mountain and take in the scenery.

They sit their pondering about life.

It’s okay to stop and smell the roses every now and then.

That’s why the roses are there.

I also like to think that when we get stuck on our mountains, there is a reason.

Sometimes we find other people are stuck in the same spot.

And then we can climb together.

People will come and go on your mountain, but the one’s who stay will be there when you reach the top.

And that will be true friendship.

I’ve thought many times about where a family fits into this whole “mountain of life picture” that I’ve formed in my head.

And quite honestly, I don't think our families do fit in a way that corresponds with the mountain itself.

I think family fits into us personally, and our journey up the mountain.

They are our backpack.

Something we forever carry with us, that provides us with love and comfort and strength.

They are forever constant and they look out for us through every step we take.

Somewhere along our mountain something happens.

It storms and you slide around the path.

Drifting away from it and stumbling in the rain.

Sometimes you even slide back to the bottom.

But then you meet someone.

Jesus.

And you are given two paths then.

One to Him.

And one away from Him.

If you choose to go away from Him then you continue to climb.

Not knowing what awaits you at the top.

Questioning the climb and its purpose.

But if you choose the one to Him you are forever changed.

He becomes your Savior.

And He will lead you on your climb.

You will still stumble, you will still fall.

But He will always meet you where you are.

Guiding you to the top.

To His father.

So you climb on with Jesus as your guide.

Knowing what waits for you at the top.

So we choose our paths.

We keep our families close and with us.

We dodge rocks or we tumble back down to the bottom.

Every now and then we stumble.

So we reach for His hand and He helps us back up.

We keep climbing, following Him along the way.

We stop and smell the roses.

We climb with friends and help them push on.

We climb until we’ve reached the top one day…..

And then what?

Then we lift our hands and He gathers us into His arms.

I like to think we praise God throughout our mountain journeys.

Taking in His goodness, His love, His artwork on this earth.

And so, when we reach the top we fall to our knees in exhaustion.

We lift our hands high.

And we praise Him for bringing us to the top.

And then we join Him.

High above the mountains of life.

In His glory forever.