This past weekend, a number of LifeSpring families were at Blue Mountain for the Spartan Event Weekend. Spartan races are obstacle course events that combine trail running with physical challenges like wall climbs and carries. Because this Spartan event was held at Blue Mountain, half of it involved hiking up the mountain.
The way the course was laid out for the five kilometer “sprint” (I don’t know who would sprint that), was that the track would keep going partially up and down the mountain, making it feel like you kept having to go up again and again and again. On what felt like the third hike up (I lost count and can’t remember if this number is accurate), I didn’t have many positive things to think about. But as I was struggling up this giant rock, something from Ryan’s Thanksgiving message floated through my brain: Gratitude becomes really important when there seems like there is nothing to be thankful for. (You can find his full message here).
As that thought appeared, things to be grateful for immediately started coming to mind; the weather during the race was clear, it wasn’t raining and at that point I had climbed high enough to get a wonderful view of the Georgian Bay. I was grateful to have the opportunity to try doing something like this and be physically able to do it, and for the season I got to do the race in; all of the trees were changing colors and the nature around me was very pretty.
Your mountain might not be a literal one, but you might be facing a spiritual or mental mountain. Whatever it is and wherever you are in it, there is something to be thankful for. Gratitude doesn’t erase the struggle; I still had to continue climbing up the hill even after I rattled off four or five things that I was grateful for. But my vision shifted upwards, away from the mountain and my tired feet and towards God’s provision and care.
What mountain are you on right now? What is one thing you can thank God for despite the struggle?