If you’ve been a Christian for any period of time, then you know the saying “mountaintop experience.” We all love them in the moment, but they peeve us when we are in a dry spell and we can only look to those experiences in envy because we aren’t that “tight” with God at the moment. And with that in mind, I think that many people (myself included) expected me to have a “mountaintop experience” for 11 months straight while I was on the race.
Hate to break it to you all who think that, but this is not a constant mountaintop experience. In fact, we can have some of those valleys that are low enough to make us feel like we are a million miles from God.
Wait, what? But you’re a missionary, you say. Yes, yes I am. But missionaries have highs and lows as well. There are still challenges that we face. There are still days where we have no desire to share the gospel. And there are still days where everyone seems to piss us off.
All that to say, I’m in a bit of a dry spell right now. Maybe it’s due to the fact that we haven’t been to a church where we understand at least 70% of the service since August. Or maybe it’s because it’s cold and I don’t want to get up and have quiet time in the morning. Perhaps it’s because my team isn’t opening up to one another and pushing each other. (ok, that one is 100% false. My team is awesome!)
I could make all those excuses, and they would probably sound semi-valid, but those aren’t the reasons I’m in a bit of a rut right now. The reason I’m where I’m at is the fact that I came into the race thinking that spiritual growth would be handed to me on a silver platter and I would be growing like crazy from day 1. I seemed to forget the face that I have to be moving countries and learning new cultures every month, being with the same 5 people 24/7, and pouring out to the people around me all the time.
This whole Christian walk thing isn’t something that can be handed out on a silver platter; it’s a relationship that needs to be worked on daily. Imagine if your friend completely ignored you for 6 days and then came to you for advice. You wouldn’t be too happy. That’s what this is like, except that the other end of the relationship is a perfect God who wants nothing more than to grow closer to you.
I can’t wallow in my rut. I must seek the Lord daily and push through the “dry” spell. I must daily remind myself of His truths. God LOVES me. He has grand plans for my life. He wants to share in my joys. He wants to comfort me in times of sorrow. Who am I to think that I need to get through this valley on my own. God is right next to me; I just need to look over and remind myself He’s still there.
I guess you could say that there ain’t no mountain high enough to keep me super in tune with the Lord, and there ain’t no valley low enough that the Lord can’t walk beside me.
That was cheesy, but whatever
