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| At the base of Elk Mountain |
"Thank you God for NOT giving me what I thought I wanted."
I find myself praying this more and more often all the time. And I came to realize it even further this weekend while I was hiking in the Wichita Mountains at the Wichita Natl Wildlife Refuge.
When we arrived in the area of the mountains, it was amazing to see how they rushed up from the grassy plains. The reddish orange against the green scrubby bushes and the brilliant blue skies was a sight to behold. We could have stayed at the foot of the mountains, and enjoyed their beauty from there, but we wanted to climb.
As we began to go up the trail, I kept being fascinated by the colors, the rocks, and the views. "Look how pretty it is!" I would say, over and over. My companion nodded, and agreed, but was eager to keep going. I kept wanting to stop. I might have even tarried there so long as to lose the sunlight and not make it to the top. But he was eager to get to the summit. As we progressed, I kept being more and more amazed by what we could see. When we reached the top, I was so thankful that we had pressed on. The view was stunning, more than I could have imagined when we we halfway up.
As we climbed down, I began to think about how God must see our lives like that. He knows what is at the top, what our life looks like from above. Sometimes, when we are too comfortable, or too content to stay only a quarter of the way up the mountain, He prods us on. Sometimes if we are resistant, He pushes us. This can seem very unfair. "I was perfectly happy looking at those flowers at the base! How could you take this away from me? You must not care about me God!" We cry as we asend. The climb can be hard. Our legs ache as our hearts are heavy. We reach a level spot in life, and say "This is as good as it gets!" and then he pushes us on further still. But once we reach the top, we see why He couldn't let us stay down below. He loves us too much to leave us to our own devices and distractions. We are content to stay in our sin. He pushes us to climb past it. We are happy to stay in our comfortable jobs. He removes them from us and asks us to trust Him. We are happy to settle for less. He knows that we can be and do more. In the words of CS Lewis, "We are far too easily pleased."
It is hard to trust God when our hearts are broken, our legs are tired, and we just want to stay and rest and be. But God has so much more for us. He loves us too much to let us stay in our sins that will slowly choke us. He loves us too much to let us linger in lukewarm relationship with Him. He loves us too much to give us what we sometimes ask, or even beg for. But the God of the Mountain is with us every step of the way. He doesn't yell at us from above. He walks beside us, quietly encouraging us, being our comfort and strength. We can choose to fight it, and be dragged, kicking and screaming through life. Or we can trust Him, and while we enjoy the views as we climb, we humbly keep following Him. Even when our legs are tired. Even when we don't understand.
Thank you God for the disappointments in my life, that helped me keep going up the mountain, rather than settling for less. Thank you for glimpses of how you view the world.
"You Don't Have To Move That Mountain"
You don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
We must climb a great high mountain
To reach God's gracious kingdom
But in His words you'll find the strength
If you will just believe them
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
Well, the way is filled with pitfalls
And sometimes we may falter
But you can have His grace, my friend
On your knees down at the altar
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
You don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
We must climb a great high mountain
To reach God's gracious kingdom
But in His words you'll find the strength
If you will just believe them
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
Well, the way is filled with pitfalls
And sometimes we may falter
But you can have His grace, my friend
On your knees down at the altar
'Cause you don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
You don't have to move that mountain
Just help me Lord to climb it
You don't have to move that stumblin' block
Just show me the way around it
