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On the Road Up

 This weekend I was privileged to go to an amazing girls' conference about Seeking Christ. One of the most striking illustrations that they used was that the Christian life is like climbing a mountain. I'd like to share a few insights and practical applications from that picture (some of which were shared in the conference, which you should go to!!)

Firstly, once you get up the mountain, you can't really stop. Now, anyone who knows me knows I adore long walks. At one point, I'd gotten about a mile and a half down the trail when I started to feel lightheaded. Perhaps not bringing water wasn't such a bright idea... but anywho, I plopped down at the side of the path and wanted to just stay there. There was one small problem, though... yes, I was a mile and a half away from home, and I couldn't exactly call an Uber into the middle of the forest. 

So what application does that have in our lives? Well, once we've started into the Christian battle, we can't just give up! We have a purpose and a Savior. We have been redeemed, rescued, and we need to fight for Him. Although surrender may seem like the easy path in the middle of your despair, it will do no good, for once Christ has laid hold of you, He shall never let go.

And yes, I did keep walking. 

Secondly, you need to be ready to give up anything that slows you down. When I went on a walk with some of my friends, my next-door neighbor decided to wear Crocs. Now, in our chosen walking place were many, many thorns. And if you've ever seen Crocs, you know that they're full of holes, and when holes and thorns meet, you can imagine what happens. Suffice it to say that she didn't join me in another expedition.

What are your Crocs? The pretty things, the things that have other uses, but right now are making your Christian life harder? For me, it can become texting friends, reading specific books (I do love my fandoms) or even writing in my journal. None of us are perfect — we all have something that we can limit. But I'd encourage you not to make such drastic changes that you'll regret it... speaking to myself here. I can tend to promise myself that I will only read theology books, talk to my friends once a month, go to bed at 7:30pm and get up at 3am to pray. Although those are not necessarily bad things (except maybe the 3am thing with my chronic fatigue), going from a normal lifestyle to that overnight would be so difficult that I would likely relapse into old habits quickly. God gives us grace for sanctifying changes, not rapid-fire, drastic, unnecessary ordeals.

Remember these two tips in your Christian walk. Remember not to give up, and be willing to surrender the things that slow you down to Jesus.

Happy climbing! :) 

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