Life is a beautiful, messy thing. We can choose to see it from our point of view, or Gods. I recently began the journey of discovering where the true beauty lies.
This past June, my family went on a trip to Europe. While we were there, we went to the top of Untersberg, which is a mountain range that spans between Germany and Austria. In order to get to the top of this mountain, we had to take a car that was supported by a single cable. As I sat there wondering how safe this was, when it was last inspected, and how many times it has failed, I was fearful. My fears were attempting to keep me from experiencing something I will probably only experience once in my lifetime. As the cable car climbed the mountainside, the fear kept me from looking out at the beauty that surrounded the car. As I stepped out of the car, I was amazed at what was before me. There was a single path that went atop the mountain, and at the end of that path was a cross.
Those who know me, know that I don’t always wear the most proper footwear. For example, I had chosen my trusty sandals to climb the top of this mountain. As my mom an
d brother made their way down the path, I was apprehensive. There was very little to hold onto along the path ahead, and the gravel looked too loose to walk over with sandals without slipping. As I stood there, I chose to take that step against that fear I was feeling, towards the cross. As I came around a small part of the path, I felt the gravel slide under my sandals and cause me to fall to the ground. However, I did not fall off the path. I had a choice in that moment, to turn back or keep moving forward. I chose to get up, brush myself off, and take the next step. As I got closer and closer to the end, to the large wooden cross, I began to feel a sense of courage and bravery that I hadn’t before. When I finally made it to that cross, I looked back at the path that led me there. There were slips, there were fears, but the view at the end made them all worth it. Looking out over the Austrian mountainside was like looking into the heavens themselves.
Although there were many other moments on that trip that stood out to me, this one spoke to me the loudest. I did not fully understand how precious that moment was on the mountaintop until after I went back down it.
In order to get to the peak of the mountain top, the one with the most astounding view, we must face our greatest fears. Fear is a normal emotion. It proves we are human. As that cable car climbed higher and higher up the mountain, my fears began to turn into courage with every foot into the sky.
When I slipped, I was scared. I was terrified, actually. I had this plan to slowly make my way down that gravel path, up the wooden stairs, and all the way to that cross with no interruptions or obstacles. However, I slipped. My plans changed when I was no longer in control. That slip may have been terrifying, yet I was not pushed off that path. That moment reminded me of how God holds his children ever so closely. We may feel like we are falling off of the mountain, we may feel like everything is out of control, but Jesus knows what he is doing. He holds his children so closely that not a single one of them, not a single one of us, can fall on his watch. That slip helped redirect my focus on the only one I can truly rely on. After slipping, my trust in him grew so much more than I ever thought it could. Because in the moment I needed him most, he was ready to catch me and help me to get back on my feet.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9
As we live our lives, we go through a lot of ups and a lot of downs. It is one giant rollercoaster. There are twists. There are unexpected turns. We may not be able to see the beauty of our journey until we reach the point where we can actually look back at our pain, our joy, our smiles, and our tears. We look back on that beautiful, and sometimes painful, journey and realize that the view is so much more than worth it. As I looked out over the mountains, I was in awe of how far God had brought me. God brought me through all of those slips, he brought me through those fears, and he carried me when I thought I couldn’t move forward anymore.
I remember back freshman year of college. I went through the worst anxiety of my life (check out my blog post from 2015, you will understand). I slipped. It felt like falling. I never thought I could get back up and get through it. But I fell into the arms of the ultimate Father and the ultimate protector. When I get to the lowest points in my life, it is easy to forget all God has taught me and all he has spoken into my heart.
We need to remember something very important. We must not forget what we learned in the light, when traveling in the dark.
We may all travel to different places in our lifetimes. We may go from town to town, state to state, or even country to country. We may feel like our feet are on shaky ground at times. However, it is quite the opposite when we are standing on a solid rock. When we have our foundation in Jesus, we will never be shaken. Our feet will always be on solid ground. We may be on top of the tallest mountains. We may be experiencing life’s darkest valleys, but the place our feet are planted will never change. Whether it be Europe or America, Texas or Illinois, Walmart or Target, our foundation is a constant. Jesus will always remain the same. As capable of holding and catching us as ever before. All we have to do, is chose to trust those hands that hold the universe.
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”…He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you…For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways…“Because she loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue her; I will protect her, for she acknowledges my name. She will call upon me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble, I will deliver her and honor her…” -Psalm 91:1-16
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