Life Is Like a Mountain. . . Climb

Part 4

You might be surprised to learn I don't always enjoy climbing mountains. I enjoy summitting them. The strain of the climb is sometimes pure pain, but the gain is meaningful. And I remember the mountains fondly.

During a strenuous hike, the mountains change me. Sometimes, I learn something. Other times, I sense God speaking. Often, I gain a quiet confidence and resilience, having experienced the reality of the quote, "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves" (Sir Edmund Hillary).

Discipline

Sir Edmund Hillary knew a little about discipline, being one of the first two recorded men to summit Mount Everest. Before his Everest expedition, he didn't know if it was possible to summit. As the highest point on earth's crust, climbing Everest is no small feat. Specialized clothing and equipment is required to withstand the arctic temperatures. Massive avalanches crash thousands of feet to glacial valleys. Fierce winds whip thin air around Everest's summit in unstable weather patterns. On warm days when the sun comes out, the permanent ice and snow becomes dangerously rotten.

When Hillary said, "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves," he implied that he was a more difficult beast to conquer than Mount Everest. The flesh does not want to go through the pain of such a difficult mountain climb, and discipline is required to ignore the flesh and press on. Those who summit must push past pain, cold, and discomfort. Climbers also need the discipline of patience, because mountaineering is painstakingly slow. Climbers often sit and wait until conditions become safer to ascend.

Life's mountains do not demand discipline. We can meander through life carelessly, but to make uphill progress, we must discipline our flesh do what it does not want to do. We need to discipline our bodies through self-control and spiritual exercises to bring it under the control of the Holy Spirit. While the work of the Holy Spirit is not a work of man, He has chosen to work in cooperation with us. This means pushing past pain, fear, and uncertainty to fulfil God’s calling on our lives. This calling is to overcome sin and establish God's kingdom among the nations. While this may look like daunting mountains, the biggest obstacles are ourselves.

In 1918, Alpine mountaineer George Mallory wrote in his journal, "One must conquer, achieve, get to the top; one must know the end to be convinced that one can win the end—to know there’s no dream that mustn’t be dared. . . . Is this the summit, crowning the day? How cool and quiet! We’re not exultant; but delighted, joyful; soberly astonished. . . . Have we vanquished an enemy? None but ourselves. Have we gained success? That word means nothing here."

Boundaries

We all have physical, mental, and emotional boundaries. While discipline is required for progress, it becomes dangerous without boundaries. If we don't know where our limits are, we may make major mistakes or burn out. God "knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). While God empowers us to do difficult things, He works with us as humans, not superhumans. He knows we need sleep, rest, and social connection for life’s mountains.

Mountains reveal our boundaries. Some people spend thousands of dollars across many years preparing to climb Mount Everest. They hike miles simply to get to base camp. Partway up the mountain, storm clouds prohibit a safe ascent. Climbers who know their boundaries turn back. Those who don’t push on, often to their deaths.

Sometimes, God calls equips people to do things that look impossible to others. He miraculously removes boundaries for His glory. Sometimes, He calls them into situations where they burn out or die. But I am hesitant to make this a normative pattern for Christians. Doing so risks creating a culture where we feel guilty for saying "No" to requests beyond our boundaries. This leads to chronic exhaustion and burnout. Rather, I believe we should maintain healthy physical, emotional, and relational boundaries that when only venture outside after carefully counting the cost.

If someone believes God has called them to do something that looks dangerous or impossible, we should not discourage them. Rather, we should equip them and give them constructive criticism that encourages. We should lovingly make sure they understand their boundaries and are not carelessly rushing ahead. There is plenty of room in our churches for people who have the faith to attempt great things for God, the discipline to push past obstacles, and the wisdom to recognize boundaries of our humanity.

The Glory of God

In Romans, Paul writes, "For since the creation of the world His [God’s] invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made" (Romans 1:20 NASB). I understand this to mean that God has imprinted His glory on creation and revealed His attributes through it.

Mountains are majestic and unmoving. In dangerous times, they have often been a place of refuge. David compares God to a rock by saying, "I love You, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my savior, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies" (Psalm 18:1-3 NASB).

The Scriptures teach many other spiritual truths through mountains. Over and over again, Mount Zion, or the hill of the Lord, refers to a consecrated place that God's people will inhabit. The great prophecy in Daniel, illustrated by Nebuchadnezzar's vision, reveals the Kingdom of God as a living stone that grows to fill the whole earth. This mountain will stand as an eternal home for God’s people.

While hiking wild mountains, I love to think, pray, and worship. The physical exertion, the time to think, and the rugged beauty of the mountains give me a spiritual focus that is hard to replicate. I would definitely encourage you to schedule time with God in the mountains disconnected from your phone and computer. Use this time to worship God and sense His glory among the mountains.

No Shortcuts

Four weeks ago on Pikes Peak, I rounded a turn on the summit and thought about what to write for the week. Then, I thought about the difference between climbing mountains and driving up them. I realized this is an analogy of our spiritual lives.

There is nothing wrong with driving up a huge mountain, but when you step on top, you are unprepared for the harsh weather and thin air. To thrive in the mountains, you must climb slowly and acclimate. Those who attempt mountain expeditions without preparation risk life and limb.

On Everest, the stakes are high, but they are even higher for climbing life's mountains. We are not just risking life; we are risking eternal life. These mountains tire us. Sometimes, we use all our energy just to put one foot in front of the other. At times, distant views and bird songs refresh us. Other times, dark knights battle us, roaring lions intimidate us, and fire-breathing dragons blast us from above. We must press on.

While God appoints safe places for us to rest on life's climbs, we cannot simply relax and enjoy the view. And there are no spiritual shortcuts to the top. We are in an all-out war zone and must battle as we climb. Yet, we have the Holy Spirit inside us, the Word of God before us, and guardian angels around us. We will win if we persevere. "He who endures to the end shall be saved" (Matthew 24:13 NKJV).