I feel like I just did the World Race in 2 ½ hours.
When I heard we had the chance to do a hike when we went to Machu Picchu, I thought it sounded like fun. If we were going to spend the whole day there, why not use up some of that time hiking the mountain that overlooks the ruin and has spectacular views of the surrounding mountains? Sold.
However, as usual, plans changed a bit. When our tour guide directed us to the mountain path, he informed us we would have about 2 hours and 15 min to complete the hike before we needed to meet him at the bottom. We had been told before that the hike would take about three hours, so we knew our time was a little short. So we began and tried to keep our pace up.
As we started up, it didn’t seem too bad. Lots of steps, but not too steep, and you couldn’t see too far ahead of you, so you didn’t really know what was coming next. We stopped for brief moments to catch our breath with the altitude, and then we reached the first lookout point. We were told a really good lookout was about halfway up, and we thought this might be it. Wrong, we were only a quarter of the way up, and it was getting harder. But we were able to get a different view of the ruins and see the beautiful mountains. So we keep on, but it gets harder. I get tired and start to lag behind the rest of the group. I get to the halfway point and see the beautiful view which is even more spectacular than before. I rest for a moment, drink some more water, and then keep going. The rest of the path gets harder. There are more steps, and the scenery is blocked by trees and plants. It’s hard to see what progress I am making, and I am really out of breath. I’m sure I won’t make it to the top, but I decide to just keep going until I meet up with the rest of the group when they come down. Now it seems like it is taking forever to reach the top, and I have no idea how close or far I am from it. Finally, someone coming down tells me it’s about 10 more minutes. I muster up the strength I have left and push myself up. It hurts. My legs hurt, my lungs hurt. Then the trees clear and I can see the top, but it’s still several staircases away! But I know I can’t turn around now, so I keep going, and right before I reach the top, the rest of my group is there and cheers me on. One of my friends turns around to come with me to the very top. We made it.
My hike up the mountain reminds me a lot of my journey on the World Race. When I started, it wasn’t too bad. There were situations that made me uncomfortable, but I was excited to be starting this journey and I was energized and ready for what the Lord had for me. As the months go on, some things get difficult. I have to reevaluate what I believe. I have to acknowledge the things I struggle with in order to overcome them. I just get overall confused. Sometimes I have to slow down and just take one step at a time otherwise I’m sure I’ll just quit. And then there is a breakthrough. I can see the view, and see how the Lord is shaping me into the person I truly am in him. I feel refreshed and excited. But I still have to keep going; we aren’t done yet. And despite the breakthrough, the steps afterwards get harder. The Lord brings more things to the surface that I have to deal with. I can’t revert back to the way I was. I’m having trouble seeing the end result. Have I even changed at all? This ministry isn’t my favorite. It’s hot. Still. All of this change and growth hurts! I just keep pushing forward, little by little, refusing to stop, but not sure where I’m really going or how much longer it will take. Then I receive hope. Encouragement from a squadmate, a word from the Lord. I am refreshed and know I am going the right way. And then I reach the top. It is a glorious view, and I can see how far the Lord really has brought me, even though I had trouble seeing it before. He shows me the ways I have grown and changed. And I feel renewed and refreshed. But while I have finally reached the top, I’m still not done. He’s not done with me either. Now we have to go back down the mountain, and go find the next one.
