Climbing with no aid, but footholds and handholds; just you and the rock face…
What does it take? Does it require fearless bravado with brute physical strength to power upward? Perhaps, at the first stages of climbing, but for the succeeding stages of scaling successfully to the summit, it requires something far more valuable. It will take take a certain humility, meekness, “power under control,” along with healthy respect for the rock face itself.
Physical strength may supply initial self-confidence, but as physical strength begins to fade from exertion, so will self-confidence. Consequently ahead will certainly come the moment of inability and instability, resulting in immobility; frozen to the rock with a battle of fear in the head. What then?
A mature climber knows that both head and heart must be engaged, each shaped by years of struggle and failure. To push beyond “the point of no return” will take supplied conditioning (body, mind, and spirit, integrated as one) as well as applied courage.
It is said, Faith isn’t faith until it’s all you’re holding on to. When applied to free climbing this may be so; faith in your own all-or-nothing strength, and faith in your own will power; all are needed to overcome or conquer whatever the challenging obstacle.
However such cannot be said for the Christian disciple free climbing his or her way to the summit of Life. It is not enough to stand at the base and just say you believe, or that you have faith. Faith is only real when it is actively applied belief. However, this belief cannot be in one’s own ability to climb, or self-confident “I-can-do-it” mentality to overcome. It must be acting on the belief in the only One who can with each handhold, reach, release, and re-grip. Some might call it, “exercising your faith.”
As the climber, forever called upward, there must be an unyielding resolve to keep pressing the rock face. To do so will require of you the inner strength provided you through previous hardships, as well as obedient trust in Christ, who climbs not above you but with you.
What is your rock face? What seemingly impossible obstacle looms before you like the sheer climb of El Capitan, Yosemite? Is the faith required, to you much like free climbing? You may look to the mountain. From where does your strength come?
With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. ~ Psalm 18:29 NIV
—RWO/MAST
Comments by Ric Ochsner