Writing is a bit of a process for me. I think about it for a while; I pray about what God wants me to say. I think about it a bit more, I half write it in my head, pray some more, delete the version in my head and start over. This week I felt to share about views again.
In last week's blog, I spoke about not letting the log, or the hard time you are in spoil the view around you. We can be so fixated on what is right in front of us that we forget to look at the bigger picture. You can read more about that here.
This week, I wanted to share about the Mountaintop view not being the be-all and end-all of life. No matter where you are in your journey, there is beauty. Even in a valley, there is a beautiful view to be seen. From the fog that surrounds leaving silouhettes ahead of you, to the drops of water dripping from the end of the branches.
There's Beauty Even In The Valley
We think of the valley as a place of darkness and it can definitely be that, but even when you are in a valley or a low point, it can be an incredibly beautiful place. Some of the most profound moments in my life have occurred in a valley. The light that shines in the valley is more noticeable and easy to distinguish.
Be Still and Breathe
If you find yourself in a valley today, breathe, be still. Look around for the beauty in your view. Don't worry about the next mountain that you are about to climb or the incredible view you'll see when you get there. Stop and look for the things that you have to enjoy right where you are, make a list if you have to.
Sometimes when we are climbing the mountain it's so flipping hard. We look at how much we have to go, we worry about how tired we are and if we are even going to make it. The concept of calling an uber to come rescue us from halfway up the mountain seems like an excellent plan. The top of the mountain seems so far away and the start of the journey seems like it was years ago.
I think in that situation, we need to do the same as we should in the valley. Just stop for a minute, be still, stop striving, stop looking at the bottom and the top, and just enjoy where we are right now. The view half way up the mountain can be pretty decent as well, but half the time we don't even notice it. We are too busy stressing about what's coming up.
Look How Far You Have Come
We don't even actually take a minute to say, "Wow, I have a lot to go, but look how far I have come" I am not where I want to be on top of that mountain, but I am not where I was this time last year. Those moments halfway up the hill, of genuine reflection and thankfulness to God for how far we have come, are what give us the energy and the drive to keep going.
Then there is the Mountain top. It's the place to be; we are on top of the world. It's the place we have been training for, working for, and here we are. Yet we get there, and what do we do? Do we stop? Pause? Be still, and thank God for getting us there? If you are anything like me, you do thank God for the journey, and the incredible view. Unfortunately, I tend to thank him while I am running down the other side, rushing to the next mountain. Our world is so fast-paced, it's always onto the next thing.
In every single stage of our lives, from the valleys to halfway up the mountain to the mountaintop, we need to stop and take that time to be still. There is beauty to be seen at every stage, but it's our mindset that prevents us from seeing what is right in front of us.