OVER THE MOUNTAIN

I remember once many years ago a lady telling me that I should plan out my future and have goals. She didn’t really give any details or suggestions about what kind of goals I should have, only that if you wanted something out of life you need a plan for how you could obtain it.

Missing from her formula was a simple aspect. Basically in my case the primary problem was a lack of confidence. It was impossible for me to conceive of anything I could actually achieve. That might seem rather absurd to some, but when one is in the depths of feelings of inferiority it is like a vacuum for the soul. You just rise above the ooze of pity to see yourself ever beyond any less than subservient level.

And life will often offer twists and turns that will at times contribute to keeping one in this vacuum. There are sadly far more critics in the world than those willing to give encouragement. It is like this infectious disease that becomes a cancer, which can utterly destroy one’s potential or ability to discover the reality of what one can truly become.

The one abiding fact to rise out of all those years for me is to understand that God is capable of helping us out of any hole no longer how deep. Still, at the same time, the deeper the hole the longer it may take to rise out of its darkness.

With each choice there are consequences. We do make choices for good and bad that affect our lives. But none of it will keep us from eventually becoming what is the Lord’s will in our lives.

However, the reality is, depending on that calling, God may or may not complete the process in this lifetime. We all love happy endings, they are often very inspirational just like success stories where one overcomes great adversity.

Those work and are wonderful. But that doesn’t have anything to do with the Lord’s will. We are not told that God will wipe away every tear in this life. We are not promised he will right every wrong and punish every injustice in this life.

They are promises he will keep in eternity. Until then we are in his hands, being guiding if we listen, able to find that mountain he wants to ascend. It might not even look like a mountain to others who don’t know or care about the valley where you were before God guided you out of it.

What is great is to finally be to the point of being able to look back and know that although others can’t appreciate your journey God does. It makes what lies beyond even more special and precious.

So if you have been in those valleys and nobody appreciates how far you have come, rejoice that the Lord will be there in due time at the eternal horizon to welcome us. Then we can celebrate the journey to come, perhaps we even more appreciation that those who never knew such valleys.