My Mountaintop Experience
What God did for me on the mountain.
I didn’t want to go on this trip. I love camping and being outside but there was an air of secrecy and excitement, and my overthinking brain wanted to draw pictures of torture. I envisioned a hazing ritual that leaves a man broken and nursing his wounds. This trip was packaged like a men’s retreat on steroids, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to take that journey. Then my lead strongly encouraged me to go and I began asking myself, “what’s wrong with going?”, and, “it can’t be that bad, can it?”
So we started our adventure to a place a short distance from Mt. Rainier and when I got out of the van. I felt the cold air hit my face and then my body temperature began to drop. I quickly put my jacket on and scanned my surroundings.
What did I just get myself into?
There was a moment on the first night that I realized what it was, and although I didn’t know what was coming next, I understood that this would be a journey of breaking, mending, and restoring parts of me that I had forgotten about. Things that I had buried for so long, I had built a house where my past trauma was left to die.
Psalm 139:23-24 (ESV): "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
At the end, I remember leaving things on that mountain that I had carried for too long. Walking away with answers to questions, and acknowledging my need for regular encounters with God, and companionship with brothers in the faith.
Looking back, it was a journey that was difficult, but like anything worth doing, it takes time and effort to disassemble the lies you told yourself and the lies the enemy told you. To leave the trauma behind and walk away a lighter man.
My prayer is that every person could have this experience. We carry so much in our backpacks that we need to set them down for a while and unpack what’s no longer contributing to our health and spiritual wellness.
We need inspiration to be men and women of God. Culture wants to take away the drive to protect and serve those entrusted to us. We must fight.
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
I’m not sure where I heard this but it keeps playing in my head:
Hard times create strong men
Strong men create good times
Good times create weak men
Weak men create hard times
And the cycle continues.
Our families, the family of God and the world need qualified spiritual fathers and mothers to lead the way. In order to do that, we must have an encounter with God regularly to learn the Fathers heart. We must dedicate ourselves to caring for ourselves and our brothers. We must stand firm in the face of adversity.
Galatians 6:2 (ESV): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
I am proud to be a man of God. If you need encouragement, reach out in the comments and let’s encourage one another.
Psalm 121:1-2 (ESV): “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”