My Mountain
My Mountain
Have you ever encountered a mountain in your life? Ever ran smack dab into one? You are just going through life merrily and BAM there stands a mountain. You stand dazed – staring in unbelief – and you realize, ‘this is my mountain’. Oh, I have been there my friend and I bet you have, too. Actually we have been there more times than we care to count, right? No matter who we are, where we are, what we are doing – we are sure to encounter mountains.
What is your mountain? Are you facing one today? Well, you are not alone. Recently, as I stood facing a mountain I cried out to God. It felt unfair. It felt overwhelming. I just could not understand the purpose of this mountain. What was this about? I wanted to climb this mountain the way God would have me climb. I claimed to trust Him to use it for good in my life. However, I found it exhausting. If I am to be honest, I was just a smidgen frustrated with God. I asked, “Really?” I questioned Him - wondering why He was allowing this and not protecting me from this situation. As I sought understanding I found myself sitting in my kitchen with my Bible. “Tell me God. What is this about? I am turning to you for answers. What is this about?” And then…God in His awesomeness directed me to Isaiah 49:11.
Isaiah 49:11 has always been in the Bible – yet, I do not recall ever reading this verse. Or maybe it was just different to me this day because it spoke straight to me. Ever have that happen? God has something just for you. A verse, a song, a sermon that feels as if it is directed right to you at right that very second. It is so real…so personal. Well, that happened to me that day. Isaiah 49:11 (NIV) says…
“I will turn all My mountains into roads…”
Do you see it? Do you see what I saw? It was a neon flashing light in my face. As I was dealing with my mountain, I read this verse that spoke of My mountain. What was God telling me? He was showing me that my mountain was not my mountain. This hard situation was not my situation. It was His. Open your Bible and look at this verse. The “m” is capitalized on the word My. So…it wasn’t my mountain at all. It was His mountain and He was going to use it for good in my life just as He promises in Romans 8:28. Keep reading…it says, “I will turn all My mountains into roads”. Well, I am not a Bible scholar and many may argue with me. But on that day, that verse showed me that this mountain I was facing – God’s mountain – was going to lead me somewhere because God called it a road.
What is your mountain? Is it financial or health related? Have untruths been spoken about you? Has someone you love betrayed you? Have you experienced a hard situation you never saw coming? Today come to understand it is not your mountain. It is not about you. It is about God and who He wants you to become…who He is calling you to be. God says it is My mountain. So, give it to Him. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says,
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus tells us…
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
As we encounter mountains the contributing factor to successfully navigate through, around and over them is our faith. Yikes! How much faith do we have? How much trust do we put in God? Do we focus on Him and His promises – or do we focus on our self and our feelings, fears and frustrations? Yuck! I hate having to answer that honestly. Oh God, we want to be found faithful! We want to truly trust in You in every situation. You are trustworthy!!! You are in control!!! You are bigger and more powerful than any mountain we will ever face. Let’s look back at Isaiah 49:11 and read this verse in it’s entirely.
“I will turn all My mountains into roads, and My highways will be raised up.”
It is only because of our mountains that our relationship with Jesus can become greater – sweeter. These mountains strengthen us and allow God to take us where we could have never gone. Our mountains will raise us up and bring us closer to our Creator. They are not my mountains. They are My mountains. Let’s give them to Him and trust Him with them.
The Holman Bible Dictionary tells us that many important events in the Bible took place on or near mountains. Much of Jesus’ life and ministry also took place on mountains. We are not the first to navigate the mountains. Then we read many scriptures that use the word mountain symbolically. As we have discussed today - it is used to illustrate obstacles, hindrances, and difficult times in our life. But…guess what? God uses mountains as an image for stability. They are big and strong and mighty and powerful. They stand. They are not shaken. They are not moved. We want to be like that, right? We want to be strong and not shaken. We want to stand firm in our faith – just like a mountain. In the Bible, mountains often have been called holy places. They are beautiful and majestic and paint a picture of God’s magnificence. We want to experience God’s beauty – close and personal. In the difficult times – His presence can be more real than any other time. They are also used to symbolize God’s power. His power is greater than we could ever comprehend. He can do the impossible – even move a mountain.
So what are we to do when we face one of “My mountains”? How do we respond so we can travel that elevated highway? Psalm 37:3-6 says…
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”
***Wow! God’s word is awesome! Someone you know needs to hear this today. Feel free to share! Share by email or social media. Let's get the Word out! God is good! All the time - He is good!!!!!