Prior to my arthritis days I enjoyed hiking up several local mountains with Hubby, our son and his wife and the two oldest granddaughters. Although at sixty plus I wasn't nearly as agile as the two younger generations, that didn't spoil the thrill of reaching the top. After stumbling over roots, getting whipped by renegade tree branches and stopping periodically to guzzle from the water bottle, we'd tell ourselves the hardest part was nearly over. Few things compared to finding the trail begin to slope downward. We'd reached our goal and the vision was ours to behold.
With nothing to obscure our view, we feasted our eyes on miles of ocean dotted with islands of varying sizes. Sun beams danced on the water while below us, lush forests waved gently, hiding rutted logging roads and debris left from harvested trees. We were on top of that day's world.
Standing atop the peak not only brought its own reward, it caused me to forget the scratches it had taken to get there and the sore muscles I knew awaited me the next day. Somehow gaining a fresh perspective of the beauty around me made me forget the pain of getting to the top.
This afternoon as I mused on one of those adventures I couldn't help but think of some of life's arduous "climbs". We're all unique but I suspect I'm not the only one who has had to overcome physical, emotional and spiritual challenges. Life isn't lived on an even plane!
"He [God] shall set me high upon a rock," the Psalmist David wrote. "And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; there I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle."
The secret of victory is found in facing the tough times from a heavenly point of view.
