I have a video of my granddaughter trudging up a large sand dune with spunk and determination that seemed beyond her two and a half years. When she reached the top she high-fived her mom and triumphantly declared, “I did it!”
How rewarding it must have been to stand at the top of what must have seemed to be a sandy mountain and look back at where she had started… and beyond!
We all have our sand dunes, hills and mountains to navigate. Some of them are short trudges, others a day long hike and others a journey that takes a very long time. Some of them challenge us physically, some mentally and emotionally and others spiritually.
At times we face a mountain so big that we are challenged in all ways. The path to the top can be winding and difficult and seem never ending. But, oh, the view from the top once we finally make it! Sights that we could never see from the valley come clearly in to view.
The long winding trail to the top is worth the effort, worth the struggles and challenges when at last we arrive.
At times we actually get to choose our challenges… more often than not though, we don’t. Challenges are thrust on us, dropped on us or creep up on us and catch us off guard. Challenges are simply part of being alive. We are not defined by our challenges, but they certainly reveal who we are, and ‘whose’ we are.
We are not promised that life will be without challenges. But we are promised that God will be with us through them, if we allow Him to. (Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, Romans 8:38-39)
Mountain top views don’t happen every day… some days we are in the valley, some days we are on the journey up the hill. Some days we stop and rest, other days we push on. Those moments when we reach the top are blissful. And when we have to leave the mountain top, those are the moments that keep our spirit pushing forward through the next challenge.
What if for today, our prayer was this...
“Lord, when I am weary and tired and out of breath, be the wind behind me to push me onward. Be the outstretched hand that pulls me up.
And when, finally, I stand on the mountain top, stand beside me as I take joy in the victory of the climb and the reward of the awe inspiring view.”
Amen
Download the free printable journal page to journal about your own experiences with an awe inspiring view.
What challenge did you face? How did you get through it? What advice would you give someone who is going through a similar challenge? What would you say to your former self about how you handled the challenge and what you learned from it?
Looking back, what can you be grateful for about what you went through?
Searching for more inspiration?
We offer 31 Days of Inspirations and Prayers in 5 different design options and two different formats. There are printable quote cards and prayers of encouragement as well as printable journal sets. These sets were created to provide encouragement and hope to anyone who is going through a time of change, loss or struggle. You can access the full printable sets by clicking on any of the photos below.
Each set contains 31 different inspirational quotes and prayers of encouragement. You just need to choose the design and format that speaks to you.
