Years ago, when on a vacation in California, I went repelling alongside my sister, cousin, and husband in the desert.
Now, if you’ve never been repelling, it’s where you wear a harness like a diaper and attach yourself to an anchored rope before descending backwards down a very steep, tall wall. Or in our case, a giant pile of rocks that measured at least two hundred feet high. Have I sold you on it yet?
At the time, my cousin was in the Marines and felt confident enough to tie his own harnesses, making the experience feel all the riskier.
My cousin and sister had been repelling many times but it was the first time for my husband and me. To test out the rope and the location for any large gaps in the rocks, my cousin went first. He made it look easy.
Then, it was my turn.
The beginning was the scariest but by the halfway point, I was gaining confidence. My cousin was beneath me guiding me over large cracks and encouraging me the entire way. However, by the time I started gaining my confidence, my cousin realized that we failed to put a part of the rope in front of my harness versus behind me.
Eventually, the piece got caught in the harness and made it extremely difficult for me to lower myself to the ground. About ten or fifteen feet up, it had become nearly impossible to move. My cousin instructed me to let go and he would catch me as the rope allowed me to fall.
It sounded like a reasonable plan except for the fact that when I let go, the rope caught and didn’t allow me to fall, causing me to smack my side into the giant rock.
In the end, we all descended safely with only some scrapes and bruises. It’s a story we still tell to this day but boy, was I glad to be back on solid ground after that. Specifically, in the car away from the danger of rattle snakes and scorpions.
There are some experiences in life that teach you lessons you remember for years. I don’t think I’ll ever forget this experience or what it taught me.
And here it is: I’m not the best climber.
You can read it again if you’d like but you read it correctly the first time. The main lesson I learned from this adventure is that I’m not the best climber.
Honestly, it can be narrowed down to two very specific reasons:
- I don’t have the longest legs.
Before all the short-legged mountain climbers come for me, hear me out. These were gigantic rocks that looked like God piled them in the middle of the desert. To get up to the top, you had to find a path to climb. And sometimes, you had to jump. Being the shortest one in the group, sometimes I needed a little bit of assistance. Plus, I cannot jump high or far to save my life!
2. I am afraid of heights.
Before this trip, I’d never shaken so much in my entire life. Not only were we at least two hundred feet high at the top, these jumps we had to make on the way up were not for the faint of heart. If you missed the jump, you would find yourself stuck in a gap between enormous rocks or falling off the side of the cliff.
In life, we will face mountains of all different kinds. Maybe it’s the leaps you have to make in your career or in your relationships. Maybe it’s mourning, health problems, or mental health.
Whatever your mountain, it always seems impossible to get past. And you’re right.
You can’t do it.
For those of you who didn’t automatically exit out of this blog post, let me say it again.
You can’t do it. But God can.
I believe God kept me safe on that literal mountain and I believe that He’s the reason I’ve been able to climb every figurative mountain in life.
If you’re a regular reader of my blog, I hope that my words have encouraged you and pointed you to God. But I want you to know, I don’t write this blog because I have it all figured out.
I write this blog because it draws me closer to God and maybe, the struggles that I’m going through and the lessons I learn along the way can help you, too.
In this season of my life, I have some mountains to climb. As I look toward the goal, it seems impossible. Just like that pile of rocks in the middle of the desert, I know I can’t do it alone and I’m afraid.
And I’ll be honest, it’s not been easy and it’s not going to get easier. Satan will throw everything he’s got so you don’t climb that mountain. He doesn’t want you doing God’s work or growing your faith along the way. He will fill your head with discouragement, doubt, and self-hatred.
Satan says you can’t do it. He’s right.
You can’t do it, but God can.
And our God is bigger. He’s bigger than Satan and He’s bigger than that mountain you’re climbing.
This week’s blog post comes at a time when I need to hear it most. It was inspired by the phrase I’ve been repeating in my head for weeks, every time I doubt myself and my abilities.
I can’t but God can.
And that’s all that matters. You aren’t going to climb that mountain based on what you can do. You’re going to reach the top, look around, and see how God carried you the entire way.
See you at the top, friends.
If you liked this post, check out my other blog posts here!
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Music is a major encouragement in my life! Check out one of my favorite worship songs that reminds me that God is the WAYMAKER.
