April 26, 2024
Mountains can be described as a part of the earth that are very wide, have a tall height, have steep sides, or even are just a large pile of something.
Mountains can represent achievement, obstacles, responsibilities, tasks, paths to success or even loss. I heard a long time ago the ways to conquer a mountain are either over it, around it or through it.
I have had many mountains in my life, and I feel like God has allowed me to tackle or attempt to tackle all three ways of mountain climbing. I think all are equally hard and lessons can be learned from each way.
If God leads you to climb “over” the mountain it holds many challenges. When I think of climbing over the mountain I think of the steep terrain, the brush and thorns, the unknown wildlife, and the uncharted paths, just to name a few.
I know in my life one of the hardest climbs has been with our youngest daughter, Missie. Missie has autism and suffers from emotional and physical disabilities. The terrain of this mountain changes daily and sometimes several times in each day.
There are days it might be an easy climb and then there are days when I slip down the side and get stuck in the bushes. Sometimes I think I have made it to the top only to see over the horizon there is more to climb as this is a mountain that I will technically never finish climbing.
There are days when I feel like I have been attacked by wildlife, can’t catch my breath, and wonder where this path is going to take me. Once you start up the mountain you can’t turn back because turning back holds just as much work and danger as moving forward.
Missie has taught me so much on my journey up the mountain. I can say every day is a new adventure. You learn to enjoy the good days and get through the hard ones. No matter what - you must keep climbing.
When I think of going “around” the mountain I think how long the journey can be. Going around the mountain, in my mind, is usually a paved road with many twists and turns.
Sometimes it can be monotonous, tedious, dull, wearisome, and unchanging. I think it can be a stage of life where we feel we’re just “going through the motions.”
It might be a situation or change that we are facing, and it seems as though it is taking forever. It also could be a change in your life such as a sickness, death, or divorce.
This mountain can feel like it is very tiresome and at times mind-numbing. You walk along the path around the mountain after a drastic life change and you figure out your new journey while you walk. It can be a long trip, but it also allows time to think, plan, and be prepared when you get to the other side.
It’s a path we walk knowing we would not have chosen this way, but we don’t give up, no matter how dreary, unexciting, or repetitive it becomes. We just keep walking, waiting, anticipating, and preparing for the day we get around the mountain.
When I think of going “through” the mountain I think about depression. I think going through the mountain can be a dark, lonely, and cold journey. It seems like there is not another way and certainly going through a dark lonely place is not necessarily the path we would have chosen.
Sometimes that journey is a short one and sometimes it seems like it lasts forever. It really depends on the size of the mountain as to how long it takes you to get through it. You must keep putting one foot in front of the other even though it seems so hard.
If you have ever dealt with depression, you know exactly what I am talking about. Once you come out of that dark, lonely, cold place you usually try your best not to travel that path again.
When I was thinking about this analogy of mountains this morning, I thought you know the one thing we all need when we are on our journey is water. We need water!
If you are climbing over the mountain believe me, it gets hard, and you are tired and hot and you need water. If you are going around the mountain it is a long winding road. There are times you are unsheltered from the sun and wind and you need water. If you are going through the mountain, you might be sheltered from the elements of weather but you still need water.
As a believer I need the living water. Whoever drinks the water Jesus offers will never thirst. He provides the only water that will truly satisfy.
If there are two things I have learned about mountains they are first everyone has mountains in their life they have to conquer or climb and second everyone gets thirsty. I can’t determine which mountain I’m facing or how I will get through it. I can determine who will walk with me no matter the path. I do NOT want to walk over, around, or through any mountain without my Savior, my living water, by my side.
I found this poem that I wrote several years ago for an occasion at our church. I thought it was an appropriate time to share with you. I hope you all have a great day, keep climbing your mountain and don’t forget your water!
Along life’s journey there are many mountains to climb
There are some that are easy and some take a long time
There are mountains we see so clear in the distance
But there are mountains that seem to appear all at once
The mountain might be the sudden loss of a loved one
A life seemingly cut short even before it’s begun
The mountain might be a marriage headed for divorce
You try so hard but it seems you keep veering off course
The mountain might be sickness – the one that you fear
Knowing it might weaken your body and shorten your years
The mountain might be a horrible financial collapse
Even working two jobs doesn’t seem to fill in the gaps
The mountain might be an unexpected emotional breakdown
The kind where you just keep spiraling around
There are so many mountains and we have such a great need
For someone to step in, hold our hand, take the lead
I know who can do it – who can handle the task
It’s my God who created the mountains so vast
He can move all the mountains with just one command
Or He might say lean on me, you’re not alone, take My hand
He might chose to lead us through it, or over it, or just around
We must trust Him completely – keep our feet on the ground
So whatever the mountains in life you might face
Remember the road has been paved with HIS amazing grace
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
