The Mountain Side

mountainclimb

Regardless of where you are in life right now it will take endurance, perseverance, and determination and the help of God to get you to your next place of victory. There is this song by Tauren Wells called Hills and Valleys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4rRCjrAyCs that talks about how God is with us on the mountain top (triumph) or in the valley (defeat/distress). I really like how this song emphasizes that God is always with us, that He won’t abandon us in the valley of hard times, and that He is the One who put us on the mountain top through His love and grace. What I saw as I listened to this song was a person running on this road, like they were running a race. Then as they were running another person ran up from the side to join them, as if to encourage them to keep going. I used to love watching shows like Biggest Loser or Extreme Makeover Weight Loss edition because the amazing trainers would inspire and encourage people to do things that they never thought that they could do. It could be anything from doing that tenth push-up or running a marathon in France, and somehow the trainer helped that person believe that they could do it and in many case they would! This brings me to the topic of the mountain side, because whether or not we want to admit it, that is where we spend most of our time in life. Not in the valley (Praise God!) and not on the mountain top. Yup, it is the mountain side where travel step by step to the next peak or plateau. Sometimes we have to move sideways to find the next safe place to climb higher, other times we may have to climb down a bit to find a better pathway up. Nevertheless, God is with us, holding us up, supporting us, inspiring us, and coaching us on how to keep going until we reach the next place of victory. He carries us and makes the steps that we are too fearful to take, because we started to look back down at where we originally started at and become afraid of falling down. In the times that we get over confident and slip off a crumbling cliff He catches us and sets us safely back on solid ground.

On the mountain side we can be like David and get to know God more intimately through praise and worship. We can be like Moses growing in leadership and administration through seeking God. The mountain side is also the place where we can come into our purpose and destiny as we hear God’s still small voice like Elijah. SO since we spend most of our time on the mountain side we might as well make the most of it. Let’s climb with intention, staying focused on the goals and mission that we are to accomplish and not on the pain, fatigue, and strenuousness of the climb. For when we are weak, He is strong, and just when we are ready to give up, He will fill us with a second wind and the refreshment we need to keep going. Keep a song of praise and encouraging bible verses in your mind as you climb so that the Lord will be glorified in your journey. Don’t let the winds of life, the rain of tribulation, or the change in altitude discourage you from going higher. When you hit a plateau, don’t get satisfied with that level, always be ready for God to shift you to the next level. And when your next peak is in sight, don’t take unnecessary risks to attempt to get there faster. Let God guide your footsteps and your footing will be sure. Finally, if you realize that you have lost your way, call out for help, be still, and trust that help from Heaven is on the way.

Let us pray: Father God thank You for being the lifter of our head, our Stabilizer, our Present Help, and our Way-maker. Lord there is no one like You, only You are faithful to stay with us through every season and mountain side of life. Lord only You have been with us in the valley and can bring us to our next mountain top. Only You Lord knows what it is going to take to get there. Only You know what we have been through because you were alongside of us going through it with us. Lord we surrender to You everything that we are going through and trust that You will help us to endure, persevere, and keep climbing through it. Lord thank you that we are not where we were although we are still pressing to get to our place of destiny and purpose. Lord show us the right way to go through Your leading and let us not take the path that seems right but leads to destruction. Lord help us to stay on the narrow road so that we can be set apart for your purpose, and stay off of the broad path that causes us to compromise and walk beneath our calling. Lord please take care our need for peace, joy, comfort, and wisdom in the situations and circumstances that we currently face as we stay in faith to reach our promise land. Lord we want to thank you and remain grateful that although we have slipped and stumbled, You have never let us fall away from You forever. Lord thank You for rerouting us when we have gotten off track and for reserving and preserving blessings for us we could never earn out of Your abundant goodness. Lord thank You for being our Shepherd, our Healer, and our Protector. You have truly been our Advocate and Justifier replicating Your Righteousness in us. Lord we trust you with our lives and thank You for developing character, integrity, and good stewardship in us. We are eternally grateful in Jesus name we pray AMEN.

Here is a link to some scriptures on endurance. I pray that this message has blessed you and encouraged you through whatever side of the mountain you are currently facing. http://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-endurance/