How to Climb a Mountain

I have watched the sunrise from the top of Sarangkot in Nepal, and I’ve scaled Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. I’ve topped Bob’s Peak in Queenstown, New Zealand, and I’ve reached a high point of Machu Picchu. I’ve been as close to the top of Mont Blanc in France as I could get, and I’ve scaled an icy path in Switzerland to get an up-close view of the Matterhorn—both trips requiring a good bit of physical exertion, although no hiking gear.

I am in no way, shape, or form a mountain climber. I don’t like stairs, much less rugged, uphill terrain. To watch the sunrise in Nepal, I had a driver with four-wheel drive take me up. A train took me up to the Peruvian wonder. I summited Bob’s Peak by way of a cable car. When I visited Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, I sat comfortably in the iconic Peak Tram.

One upward journey wasn’t so easy, though. When my family decided to visit a section of the Great Wall of China called Mutianyu, we anxiously rode a rickety cable car partway, and then we climbed many steps to the highest point we were allowed to reach.

Lilias Trotter wrote this in her journal on August 13, 1899: “Today’s ‘first lesson’ was in these little mountain paths. I followed mine only a few yards further this morning and such an outburst of beauty came. You can never tell to what untold glories a little humble path may lead, if you follow far enough.”

When my legs gave out while climbing the steps of the Great Wall, I climbed the rest of the way on my knees. I wasn’t about to quit and miss out on the view at the top.

So much of today’s “instant gratification” culture is focused on getting to the top, climbing to reach our goals or to conquer obstacles, with whatever means will get us there as quickly as possible. Here are four lessons I’ve learned about our climbs in life from climbing physical heights:

Stay focused on your own path.

We need to focus on our own path, our own next step. Our journey and timeline will be different from anyone else’s, and we need to focus on our mountain top, not others’.

Remember the journey is part of the goal.

The goal is the destination, but it’s also the journey. We need to take a break to breathe in the view. Take some pictures. Evaluate the challenges as we go along. Rest is not only okay, but necessary.

Keep climbing, no matter what.

Getting to the top isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. An uphill climb requires muscles that may have been dormant for a while. Too often we give up just before the glory, but I can tell you, every mountaintop view has been worth whatever it took for me to get there—with heights and in life.

Seek the help you need.

I can’t say I prayed my way to the heights I told you about, but I’m certain I wouldn’t have survived my climbs in life without prayer any more than I made it to places like Machu Picchu alone. Prayer is essential to survival. Calling on the strength of Jesus in our weakness and having others do the same on our behalf, especially those who have made their way up before us, ensures we’re not alone and compels us to keep climbing.

When we make it to the top of our mountains, even with scraped knees and bloody hands, every step of the climb will have been worth it.

Andrea Stunz is a wife, mom, mother-in-law, and a ridiculously proud grandmother. She is a well-traveled foodie and a stumbling pilgrim always on the hunt for good coffee and a gorgeous sunrise. She loves sharing stories and finds her hope in Colossians 1:17. Connect with Andrea on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and find more of her writings at AndreaStunz.com.

Photograph © Samuel Ferrara, used with permission