During one of my travels, I was hiking up a small hill, and halfway through the hike, I started to struggle with the intensity of the workout, taking more breaks in between to catch my breath. As it was my first time on that route, I had little to no idea how difficult it would be, and I began to doubt whether I would be able to complete it. To my delight, I soon saw a group of tourists taking photos at an area that looked like the peak of the climb I was on. The group of us went over to bask in the satisfaction of completing the hike, took our time to enjoy the sights and captured some photos of that moment.
However, when it was time to make the descent, I realized there was no clear path down. We had to follow the group of tourists along a trail that was off the beaten track and heavily covered in bushes. To protect ourselves from the thorns, we wrapped ourselves in the jackets we had taken off earlier due to the heat. The last part of the climb involved sliding down a steep set of drains. To sum up my series of poor decisions, we eventually realized we had never actually reached the peak, and we were now 1.5km away from the start point ☹.
This experience reminded me of my walk with Christ. Sometimes, when the road gets hard and obstacles appear, I start to question if I can continue going or whether I should have even started the hike in the first place. The world offers many “false peaks” that seem like success or fulfillment and there are temptations at times to be drawn towards those moments. Just as I mistook the tourists’ photo spot for the summit, we may mistake worldly achievements or temporary pleasure for the ultimate goal. They may give us a momentary sense of accomplishment, but instead they can lead us away from the real path which God has set out for us.
There are times when taking these detours makes it harder to return to where God wants us to be. When I followed the wrong trail down, I found myself in an even more difficult situation and I ended up feeling more exhausted than before. On top of that, there was also the huge sense of disappointment when we realise that we would have already reached the actual peak had we stayed the course. In the same way, straying from God’s ways can lead us into unnecessary struggles and pains.
But the good news is that God’s way is marked with clear signs – His Word, His promises and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Although things may not be going our way at this moment, I firmly believe that as long as we keep our eyes on Him, we will avoid unnecessary hardship. Yes, there might be growing pains as we journey along with Christ in our lives, but we will eventually be able to see what He has in store for us – things which are more beautiful and satisfying than anything the world could offer.
When we finally reached the actual summit, the view was breathtaking, and it was far more majestic than the false peak I had settled for earlier. I realised that if I had simply followed the signs along the way, I would have avoided the detour and reached the actual destination without the extra struggle.
The same is true in our spiritual walk:
- His timing is perfect, even when it feels slow.
- His ways lead to lasting joy, not temporary satisfaction.
And Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us the assurance:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
So, let’s keep walking faithfully, even when the climb is steep and the destination feels far. It’s okay to pause, breathe and find comfort in God and in the community which He has placed us in. However, let’s resist the temptation to settle for less or take the “easy way out.” The peak God is leading us to will be worth every step — because His view is always better.
– Chadd Lim
Thrive Church 