Weekly Reflection - Perseverance

Many years ago, my husband and I climbed Quandary Peak in Colorado.

Quandary is over fourteen thousand feet in elevation, so it is considered a “14’er.” It was one of those challenges to say you did it. You have to get started really early in the morning, so that was my first obstacle…getting up at the crack of dawn. I wasn’t sure what to expect but had built it up as a big deal in mind. However, I was surprised to see people of all ages, shapes, and sizes when we got there. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal after all. Maybe this would be easy. We started heading to the trailhead area and it was a steep start. I was already huffing and puffing and my legs burning and we hadn’t really even started. Well, that’s not good! Eventually, I got into a rhythm and my heart rate began to get back to normal. I concentrated on taking one step at a time, as it turns out the Rocky Mountains are no joke.

Every step was an ankle sprain waiting to happen, with a combination of large rocks, boulders, and thin sliding slate rock. When you start out, you are among trees on a clearly marked trail. When you get above 10,000 feet, you are above tree line, which means trees can no longer grow due to lack of oxygen. Your fingers start to swell, your head starts to ache, it gets harder to breath and the trail becomes less obvious as you are out in the open and exposed to the elements.

Eventually, through much perseverance, you find your way to the summit. People typically take some pictures, sign a book, and look out at the awe-inspiring view for a few moments. It is hard to describe how small you feel and how big God feels when you are on top of a mountain like that. You realize that God is everywhere; the sky, the mountains, the trees, the rocks…and in us. He is where we have just been, where we are now and where we are going next. It isn’t really about conquering the summit as much as what you learn along the way. You can’t stay at the summit long because you don’t want to get caught on the mountain in a thunderstorm, which pretty much happens every afternoon.

It turns out that the way back down is worse than the way up. When you have rocks that are sliding around as you step on them while on weak and tired legs that are aching to give out on you, it can be a recipe for disaster. It isn’t the quick and easy descent that is expected. In the end…we conquered the mountain and I took a nap.

I think our faith can be like climbing a 14’er. Our faith gets tested through various kinds of challenges in our lives. But testing has a way of solidifying our faith, as long as we persevere.

Can you identify an area of your faith that is being tested right now?

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4 (NIV)