Climb Those Mountains

Let's be honest, there are so many situations that we face that appear impossible to conquer.  Worse, as you get older there are more and more mountains to climb.  You name it...finances, jobs, accidents and yes even family & friends; all of these present struggle and difficulty at some point or another.  I've learned that every time I've had a trial there were two choices; a choice to defy God and fix things on my own, or a choice to run to God and watch Him work his miracles (not always the easiest by the way). 

 James 1:12 says, "¹² Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.  The Lord acknowledges that we will face trials, but it is how we react in those times that the Lord looks at.  I remember one year into my marriage I suddenly lost my job.  At first I thought, wow it's like I have a really long vacation; that thought changed very quickly.  Suddenly I realized that the bills weren't going to stop, and my bank account wasn't going to fill with my regular salary.  I had just gotten used to married life and now we were facing a very difficult situation.  One year married is very young to need to go through the stress involved with losing your job. Yup, I reached a mountain to say the least.  In James 1:12 we see that the Lord is looking for perseverance while in those trials.  It is so much easier to read the verse and say your going to do it, than it is to actually persevere and get through the trial.  While climbing the mountain you almost feel like you keep losing your footing.  Here's an example, I was applying to a minimum of 3 jobs a week over the course of 11 months.  With all the places that received my resume, I got maybe 4 total interviews in that time period, and praise God, one part time position.  Now, I don't consider myself a slouch as I have a bachelor's degree, a great internship, and decent experience for being a young adult out of college.  But I couldn't bust through the economical struggle strangling me and my family.  I kept losing my footing while climbing.

Why push through and keep climbing even though i'm facing dead ends? James 1:2-4 says, "² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  There is your answer; If you persevere through trials it is making you a more mature and complete person.  Not to mention that in verse 12 we were told that we will recieve the "Crown of Life" that the Lord has promised those who love him.  The benefits of staying strong and pushing through will outweigh that of giving up and giving in.  I kept applying for 11 months, until finally I heard from a friend of a small manufacturing company looking for someone to handle their day to day operations.  Within a week, I was starting my first day as the Operations Manager for a local machine shop!

Before receiving the job, I remember feelings of rejection, depression, and stress but I always left it in God's hands.  I would pray for a job, but know that God had a reason for why I wasn't working.  Throughout all 11 months Michelle and I never missed a bill.  All of our needs were met, with a little change in how we were living, unemployment coverage, and friends providing some part time work, we were able to climb this mountain.  I learned alot during my time out of full time work, most of all to trust the Lord.  I encourage you, that whatever your mountain is today, through Christ you can climb it!

Philippians 4:13 - ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.