I was having a conversation with someone about God the other day. I was encouraging this person about how much God desires a relationship with us – He doesn’t care where we start, He only wants us to want to grow closer to Him.
I was making the statement, “you don’t have to start on top of the mountain.” Start where you are, because God will meet you there and help you climb.
For the past six years, I’ve been steadily climbing up the mountain. I started way down at the bottom and had been steadily climbing month after month, year after year.
However, I noticed this past year, I felt as though I was starting to lose ground… and didn’t understand why. I was still reading my Bible every day, I was still praying often, I was still in love with God … so why did it feel more difficult to keep climbing?
I realized it was because I had allowed some sand to get in my boots and it was weighing me down. Grumbling … complaining … a sarcastic comment here … a critical remark there … they all lead to the slippery slope of disconnection from God.
It was then I made the connection. I need to rappel back down the mountain some (get back to the basics) and begin doing the same things I did as I was beginning to climb in order to gain that ground back.
I needed to ask forgiveness, I needed to remember all the blessings God has given me in life and speak His promises over my life to quench the fire of criticism and sarcasm … and it was okay to give myself grace. God is all about grace. It’s okay to sprinkle some into my life as well.
God doesn’t care where you start on the mountain. He doesn’t even mind helping you relearn some things you have forgotten. God simply wants our hearts – and when He has those, watch what He can do!
© Cheri Swalwell 2020