Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs   

Another lesson I've learned over a lifetime of hiking and backpacking is that life is a mixture of ups and downs, much like a mountain trail that follows the peaks, the gaps, and then descends to the valley floor.  Each type of travel has its own challenge. 

 

The uphill climb is hard, stresses your stamina and slows your speed.  A downhill stretch looks easier, but stresses a different set of muscles.  On a long downhill stretch, your feet slip in your boots and you’re more likely to get blisters.  After many years of hiking, I’ve learned to appreciate the discipline of an uphill climb more than the gravity accelerated pace of a long downhill trek. 

Our faith walk is also a mix of ups and downs; blessings of good things that are enjoyable and stress free, while at other times we are stressed and exhausted.  On our spiritual journey we have both hardships and blessings, yet all the time we are on the same spiritual trail.  Our faith sustains us as we enjoy or perhaps struggle with the realities of life. 

It is the reality of living in a physical world that brings us “ups and downs.”  In the scriptures,  God gave Joshua a promise and God still offers the same promise to us today.  It is found in Joshua 1:5:  “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

As I stand here in my front yard and look toward the Great Smokey Mountains it is very clear that if I want to hike the Appalachian Trail from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap at I-40 I'll have to do some uphill, some downhill, and some ridge tops along the journey.  That trek is all on the same trail, but the type of energy required for travel is not the same for every step of the journey.

 

Remember, our spiritual journey is like that, so don't give up.  Stay on the trail; keep seeking what is good and true.  God will be with you in both the “up and down” times of life.

Now, let's ramble!