Mountains part 3
I think the best thing to do about a supposed "mountain" (obstacle, setback, whatever you want to call it) is to understand two things: 1. You don't need to overcome it. Jesus overcame the world. We were in Him when He did it. Its not something to fight against, or try to conquer. Because 2. All things work together for good. Some of the things we try so hard to conquer, or get rid of, or defeat, are actually things that are vital to our success. Remember what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:6-7 (NLT), "If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won't do it, because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud." The thorn in our flesh to keep us humble, right? I remember back in high school I wrestled my freshman year. And I was tall. And I was skinny. So I was good. But there was one kid I could NEVER beat. And I'm telling you... that certainly kept me from getting too cocky. Because I knew no matter how many people I pinned to the mat... if I ran into that kid from Lake Orion I was in trouble. I knew I had to work hard at practice. I had to put the time in. He was a mountain, if I can say it that way, but if it wasn't for him I might not have lettered in wrestling. He motivated me, I guess is my point. And I surely didn't see it that way at the time, but in hindsight I'm glad for it. So what I think I'm trying to say is... sometimes we need the things in our life that seem the "worst." Because, again, its all working together for good. I never did beat that kid, and at the time that was it the worst thing ever. But it helped make me who I am. So. Molehills don't have to be mountains, and mountains don't have to be problems. ESPECIALLY when you consider Hebrews 2:8, "Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him." All things are under Jesus' feet. He is the conqueror. And when He conquered, we were in Him. He was lifted up from the earth and we were all drawn into Him. As He is, so are we in this world. So everything that is under His feet--which is EVERYTHING. Love is all-powerful. Which doesn't mean MOST powerful. It means love has ALL of the power--is under our feet. The problem is that we don't SEE everything as under our feet. We see ourselves as "able" to overcome, if we try hard enough. When the truth is we HAVE overcome. Because 2,000 years ago HE overcame. And that's what the first part of the next verse, Hebrews 2:9, says, "But we see Jesus..." Its HIS blood, and HIS testimony. HIS finished work on the cross. That's why every valley has been made high and every mountain made low and every twisted thing made straight. Jesus IS the straight and narrow way that we go when we walk by faith. When we let what is true be true for us. When we stop fighting everything in sight and just let things be what they are. Learn from them. Grow. And keep going upward and God-ward!