Above the Circumstances

Numbers 27:12; "the LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain in the Abarim range and see..."

Yesterday, (Monday, the 23rd of April), was a dreary and drizzly day in the Los Angeles basin. It didn't really rain, but was just a gray and threatening day punctuated with intermittent sprinkles. Just one of THOSE days.

It was our day off, so Karlene and I headed up to our mountain home. After a stop at Starbucks to fuel up and warm up, we began our ascent up into the San Bernardino mountains. As we headed upward, the weather worsened and it became a much more difficult drive. The higher we climbed, the foggier it became, and coupled with the light rain, made it hard to see where we were going. We were forced to slow down and proceed with caution.

Oftentimes, life is like that. In our attempt to climb higher, the storms seem to worsen and the ascent becomes even more difficult. However, for those situations, let me offer one piece of advice -- KEEP GOING. Many times, the worst thing one can do is stop in the middle of the storm.

1) Stopping can get you stuck.
One of the new experiences that we have had, since frequenting the mountains, is driving in snow and ice. When driving in those conditions, you just have to go slow, but the key word is "go." It may be a little slippery, and you may not feel as in-control as you would like to, but the important thing is to keep moving. Stopping is the worst thing you can do when you hit a rough patch because if you stop, you'l get stuck. Keep moving slowly, but surely and you will get where you need to be.

2) Stopping can get you hurt.
One of the major reasons for accidents in the fog, is caused by people stopping on the road because they can't see the road good enough. Again, it's important to keep moving slowly and cautiously. Stopping on the road or the side of the road in the fog is extremely dangerous.

So yesterday, in the middle of the storm, fog and rain, we continued onward and upward toward our destination. No, we didn't stop -- even though we were in the midst of the storm. We didn't give-up simply because we couldn't see our way clearly enough. We didn't quit because the way was somewhat treacherous, but we continued on. On journey was slowed and more stressful than usual, but onward we went.

Then, once we reached an altitude of 5,300 feet above sea level, something wonderful happened. We drove right out of the storm and the fog and the rain and into the bright, beautiful sunshine! In a moment, our storm turned into blue skies. We could see clearly -- and for miles! The rain was behind us and beneath us. The change was immediate and amazing.

Don't allow your surroundings stop your ascent in life. Things may not be what you want them to be right now, but keep climbing. Like God told Moses in the opening verse, if you want to "see" -- get to the top of the mountain. I would encourage you to do like Moses did, keep moving onward and upward -- before you know it the circumstances and the scenery will change, and it will change for the better.

"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." (Galatians 6:9 NLT)