“It’s the rough side of the mountain that’s the easiest to climb; the smooth side doesn’t have anything for you to hang on to.” —Aretha Franklin
I have to admit, I’ve never been mountain climbing, at least not in the physical sense. I’ve seen videos of rock climbers go up steep cliffs with nothing but their hands and I marvel at their ability to find something to hang on to in order to scale to the top. The mountains that have trees and rough terrain seem much easier to climb, there is so much more to lean on for support.
The non-physical mountains we may face in our lives can be just as daunting. We seem to live in an age of anxiety. Mental health in our country appears to be at a crisis level if you believe what we hear on the news channels. I was watching the news recently and saw a story about “climate change anxiety” which the article stated was one reason young people are thinking of not having children. Adding to this anxiety are economic issues, high interest rates discouraging people from being able to buy a home. The constant drumming of doom and gloom, it’s no wonder people are living in fear for the future.
So what can we do about things that make us anxious?
We’ve talked about ways to stop worrying about the future including: Staying in the present moment, meditating on God's Word, and trusting our Creator.
But what about the flip side, on the smooth side of the mountains in life, i.e. when things are going well? We need to be on guard against becoming complacent, haughty, and selfish instead of grateful and selfless. We need to stay connected to those around us that can keep us accountable, so we can be of service to others who are on the rough side of the mountain.
Proverbs 16:18-19 & James 4:6
TSK
I have to admit, I’ve never been mountain climbing, at least not in the physical sense. I’ve seen videos of rock climbers go up steep cliffs with nothing but their hands and I marvel at their ability to find something to hang on to in order to scale to the top. The mountains that have trees and rough terrain seem much easier to climb, there is so much more to lean on for support.
The non-physical mountains we may face in our lives can be just as daunting. We seem to live in an age of anxiety. Mental health in our country appears to be at a crisis level if you believe what we hear on the news channels. I was watching the news recently and saw a story about “climate change anxiety” which the article stated was one reason young people are thinking of not having children. Adding to this anxiety are economic issues, high interest rates discouraging people from being able to buy a home. The constant drumming of doom and gloom, it’s no wonder people are living in fear for the future.
So what can we do about things that make us anxious?
We’ve talked about ways to stop worrying about the future including: Staying in the present moment, meditating on God's Word, and trusting our Creator.
But what about the flip side, on the smooth side of the mountains in life, i.e. when things are going well? We need to be on guard against becoming complacent, haughty, and selfish instead of grateful and selfless. We need to stay connected to those around us that can keep us accountable, so we can be of service to others who are on the rough side of the mountain.
Proverbs 16:18-19 & James 4:6
TSK
