Mountains

“Stop staring at mountains. Climb them instead, yes, it’s a harder process but it will lead you to a better view.” ~Unknown Author

Kate Winslet and Idris Elba star in the movie, The Mountain Between Us. The movie takes place on a snow-covered mountain following the crash of a chartered plane. Only three people and a dog are on the plane. The pilot has a stroke and dies. The plane crashes leaving two strangers (Alexis and Ben) and the dog trapped to face the mountainous terrain. They have limited water and food, and no cell phone service. They face slippery slopes, a mountain lion, perilous snowstorms, and bitter cold. After multiple risk-filled events, they are rescued. How did they overcome their mountain of difficulties? 

Trust was a major factor. They had to trust in themselves and each other.  As they acknowledged their fears and stopped blaming each other for their predicament, they were better able to face the mountains of uncertainty.  During perilous situations, they used their innate survival skills to help each other. Every life-threatening encounter seemed to not only increase their trust in the other but instilled in them the belief that they would survive.

In a similar way, we face a variety of mountains with no magical solutions. Some of life’s mountains are treacherous. There is no getting around mountains of debt, illness, death, divorce, hate, or anger. And just like Alexis and Ben, we will have to face and tackle our mountains.  

In real life situations, where do you place your trust? Saving for a rainy day is wise. A compassionate and skillful doctor is a blessing. So is a well-trained lawyer or a faithful minister. These are good solutions. However, they are finite. To climb those high mountains in our lives, we need to place our trust in the Almighty Sovereign God. 

Is your trust or faith weak?  All you need is just a little bit.  Hear Jesus as he says, “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible” (Matthew 17:20 NLT).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT).