When Mike and I climbed the South Sister a few years ago, there were many moments throughout the 12+ mile trek that I questioned my chance of survival. The distance and the elevation gain were pretty grueling for me, as someone who had done minimal training on exclusively flat terrain. While Mike hiked confidently forward, high on adrenaline and the thrill of it all, I was clinging to my trekking poles for every step.
The worst of it was most definitely the ~1 mile stretch of shale toward the top of the mountain. My legs were rubber at best, by this point, and the shale was slippery, unpredictable and unforgiving. It was like going on a 5 mile run and then attempting to finish with a 200 yard sprint on dry sand. More than once, I suggested to Mike that we seemed to be close enough to the summit and we could probably just call it a day. Thankfully he had enough enthusiasm to keep us both going until we actually reached the top. And I can assure you, the view and the sense of accomplishment were absolutely worth it.
Our daily grind of life responsibilities, paid and unpaid work, interpersonal dynamics and surviving the often violent and confusing condition of our country, can often feel like trying to walk uphill on slippery ground with little strength to draw on. The next step can feel uncertain and there can be doubt as to whether or not the destination is really worth the current heartache and strain.
John Mark Comer’s “Practicing the Way” offers wisdom and recommendations for how to implement new rhythms in our lives that promote an authentic partnership with Jesus. He acknowledges that our life journey is difficult, with stretches of the path that are rocky and unstable, but there are practices we can implement that serve as supports and strategies.
During my mountain climb, I relied heavily on Mike’s encouragement, the stability of my trekking poles, and the incentive of our next snack break. Without these resources, I would have undoubtedly given up a third of the way up the mountain and missed the satisfaction of the summit. Not to mention the beauty along the way, seen in high mountain lakes, wildflowers, and smaller vistas.
Throughout life’s stretches of shale, soft sand, or uphill climbs, we have resources available that can help keep us moving, in an upright position. In Comer’s book, he weaves many of these supports (prayer, scripture, worship, justice, etc.) within the broader context of community. While relationships can be messy and hard, at the end of the day, we need each other to make it up this mountain. “We simply are not meant to follow Jesus alone. The radical individualism of Western culture is not only a mental health crisis and growing social catastrophe; it’s a death blow to any kind of serious formation into Christlike love. Because it’s in relationships that we are formed and forged.” (Practicing the Way, pg 187)
No matter how advanced our hiking gear is, or how pristine the weather might be, there is no direct replacement for the encouragement provided by a partner, or the smiles and nods offered by those you pass on their way back down the mountain. While there is beauty in solitude and growth found in silence and stepping aside, we were wired to thrive in relationship and connection.
While we are navigating the different seasons of turmoil and ease, may we look to each other. Whether we are extending a hand or tightly grasping the hand that’s been offered to us, let us not grow weary in being there for one another. As we read in Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
How beautiful it is to reach the summit, together.
About the Author
Britni is a quiet but fearless spirit who is earnestly seeking the beauty of the redemption that Jesus has personally determined for her life. Committed to the truth that listening breeds understanding and understanding results in compassion, she clings to the power of life’s stories. She has embarked on the venture of discovering her own story and lending an ear to the stories lived out in others and savors the trace of Jesus that is woven throughout them all. Currently, that journey has landed her in a balancing act between the role of wife, momma, and a mental health Care Coordinator.