Giving UP just before the view

by | May 25, 2012 | God's grace | 2 comments

Our family is on vacation this week in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and we happened to visit a place called Chimney Rock yesterday. It’s one of the sites used in the filming of the movie Last of the Mohicans – a fantastic mountain with a rock-face that juts out over the valley below. Now there’s a hitch to this wonderful idea of going to this mountain – there is a monstrous number of steps to climb to get to the top of the mountain. I mean A LOT! Straight up! This picture does not do it justice. I think there were over 470 steps in all. Pretty impressive.

Well, we had a grand total of about 15 steps left and here is what my 6 year old shouts from in front of me:

“Mom, never ask me to do this again. This is horrible.”

And then he sat down. He was finished, it seemed. The climb was too hard and the reward didn’t come quicky enough.

15 steps away from a fantastic view and a chance to rest.

Anyone else been there?

Trials, heartache, or suffering comes. We keep taking steps forward – some of them more difficult than the others.

Pain, discouragement, or rejctions come. We keep taking steps forward.

And then….it’s too much. Too hard. “God I can’t do this.”

It’s usually just before he shows His glory.

Like the old quote by Thomas Fuller “It’s always darkest just before the dawn”.

When we’re at the end of our rope, that’s usually when God shows his glory the most. We don’t see it clearly until we look back on all those trials and steps to climb to get to this point, but once we can look back with clearer eyes, we see His handiwork all along. He fashioned each suffering moment or trial into a sculpting device to our hearts so that we are molded into children of the King.

Usually it takes going up all the steps of life to enjoy the view of His grace and provision.

With some added coaxing from our family, my six-year-old made it to the top of the steps and enjoyed the success of his perseverance. It is also true with us that God will send encouragers along the way to help us ‘see’ his work or make it to the end of the looong, hard journey.

Now may we trust in God’s love and strength enough to keep His point of view in mind – a Heavenly perspective 🙂

2 Comments

  1. marneymcnall

    You’re right, Pepper. God tends to reward us wonderfully for pressing on. We were at Chimney Rock last year and our 70 lb. yellow lab decided he wasn’t going down all those stairs. So my husband had to carry him down. Whoo, what a workout! The things you do for those ya love.

    Reply
    • pepperbasham

      OH my goodness, Marney. Are you serious? Your poor hubby! What a climb.
      Beautiful view though…but I didn’t have 80 pounds worth of dog. Just about 50 pounds of whining 😉

      Reply

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