I have shared this before, but for several years, my husband and I struggled with infertility. There were many difficult moments and a lot of heartbreak. We prayed continually but felt as if God was remaining silent in our circumstance. 

One summer, in an attempt to find some reprieve, my husband and I decided to go up north for a few days, our golden retriever in tow, to visit one of our favorite spots in Maine, where we live. During this visit, we decided to hike a mountain that was rated as moderate on our trails app.

My husband and I love to hike. We are not avid or extreme hikers, but we love an easy or moderate hike. Many times, we are rewarded with beautiful views, and something about being in nature lightens our spirits. 

As we started our way up the mountain, it felt easy to hike, with low slopes and a clear, wide path. We were hopeful and eager to be rewarded with the proclaimed breathtaking panoramic views that awaited us at the top.

As we continued with our hike, things progressively became more difficult. Lots of rocks, roots, steep inclines, and narrowing pathways started to test our endurance. After a little while, we stopped hiking and started rock climbing. 

We struggled to catch our breath and had to take several breaks to regain our strength. Even our young, energetic dog was having a hard time. At every break, we contemplated turning around, wondering who rated this trail as moderate? Maybe we were overconfident about our physical abilities.

At one point, my husband and I looked at each other, and without saying a word, we both knew what the other was thinking. We were exhausted, and we were going to turn around.

At the exact moment we decided to give up, I felt the Spirit of God so strongly that it brought tears to my eyes. I felt like God was whispering to me, “Keep going.” 

So we kept climbing, step by step and rock by rock. God had given us the strength to do this. 

When we finally reached the top, we were taken away with the beauty that surrounded us. We were so glad we didn’t give up. 

I think back to this hike often and how it’s relatable to our spiritual journey in life. The hike felt so hard at the time, and so did our circumstances. But now I can see from the top of the mountain (the full picture), and I realized how God was trying to help me grow.

For myself, these were the key takeaways:

• The circumstances that we are in won’t always be easy. Sometimes we have to go through difficult terrain to see the beauty of God’s plan. Stay hopeful. 
• When we are uncertain of things in our lives, God is still faithful and sends us gentle encouragement to keep going. Keep trusting.
• When we feel our weakness taking over and we want to give up, lean on God for strength. Keep seeking Him. 
• I realized God wasn’t silent in that time of our lives. He was just quietly encouraging us to keep trusting and hoping, keep seeking Him, and to keep going.

There are so many “mountains” we all have to climb in this life and it’s easy to become weighed down in our circumstances and want to give up or give in. I am so thankful that He sees us in our moments of weakness and never leaves us alone. 

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1-2)