We're all faced with mountains. They come in different forms and heights. Some may be seemingly flourishing with flora and fauna, while some may look completely dead and desolate. Those mountains have trails. A mountain that looks simple to conquer may have the most complicated and difficult trail you've ever faced. Each mountain is different and has its own challenges. However, there's usually one common factor for mountains—elevation.

Mountains are thousands of feet above sea level. The mountains in Vail, CO for example have an elevation of over 11,000 feet. The higher the elevation, the lower the amount of oxygen that's in the air, meaning your body is working harder. At this elevation it can sometimes be more difficult than usual to breathe because your body isn't used to the lower amount of oxygen, especially during physical exertion, such as hiking on a mountain.

As we begin to tackle the mountains that are placed in front of us, there are often changes or events that we are not used to, making it harder to breathe as we climb. We may feel uncomfortable, exhausted, pushed to what we think is our limit, and start thinking that the view from the top isn't even worth the pain that it takes to get up there. We may begin to turn our eyes away from God's evident hand in our journey and begin to wondering what the purpose of going up the mountain is. As we feel the burn in our chest and our shortness of breath, the thoughts of just turning around and going back to where you started start racing through your mind. The moment that you want to give up is the moment that you must strain ahead, reminding yourself that God is good and will fulfill His promise of being with you every step of the way. He is aware of our journey; nothing comes as a surprise to Him. He knows when we are feeling weak and tired, when we want to give up, when we trip and fall (or in my case face plant and get a mouthful of dirt), and it's all part of His plan. He can see the view from the top of the mountain long before we even attempt to climb it. What we view as useless, annoying, or just another roadblock keeping us from moving on in life, He knows is going to strengthen us even though we don't see it yet.

As we press on and reach the end of the trail, we are suddenly met with the most breathtaking view we've ever seen. As the view comes into focus, a lot happens. We are reminded of His majesty as we look out into His unbelievable creation. We realize that if our Creator placed that much intention into creating this beauty, how much more intention did He pour into creating you? Finally, we are provided with oversight. Our view suddenly goes from a few feet in front us at a time on a trail, to a view that spans for miles upon miles. What once was foggy, confusing and frustrating is now in clear view. We can now fully recognize the purpose of purpose of our climb, seeing how He strengthened us in the process.

I know that mountain you're looking at or currently climbing seems daunting. You may want to turn back, thinking it's too difficult or wondering how someone like you could ever reach the top of a mountain that big. But I encourage you, press on. Remind yourself of His goodness and keep moving forward. It's difficult and draining, but the suffering you are currently feeling is not even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to you (Romans 8:18).