Moses met with God there.

The Samaritans and Jews argued over which one people should worship on.

People have called them holy.

Jesus went up them to pray.

We marvel at photos of them, take vacations to climb them, and even use them in reference to the best points of our lives.

Called “mountaintop experiences,” we see ascending to the highest heights we can reach as arriving at the pinnacles of life. It’s there we feel close to the Lord and immensely blessed. Mountaintop experiences tend to fan the flame in our hearts and energize us. They feel like an achievement and a reward all in one.

But what’s so special about a mountaintop? 

I think it’s the view.

What's so special about a mountaintop? I think it's the view...
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When perched on a mountaintop, we look out over the valleys. From up high, they’re beautiful. All the gullies, forests, desserts, roads, and rivers we struggled to ford and forge look small and surmountable. They’re wonderfully placed, textures in a scene hand-drawn by God.

From up high, we feel a bit like we get to glimpse of God’s perspective.

“From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.” –Psalm 33:13-15

Looking down from on high, we get to watch as the Lord does. We can peer into others’ lives, into grander plans, to see how all the lows of life are glorious to behold when they are etched out on the landscape of the Lord.

The perspective gives us pause to consider what all the valleys are for and how beautiful the walk of faith is. We get a peek into how life works, and how marvelous His design is. The distance reminds us of the One who is forming the terrain of this world and human hearts still.

Our view from a mountaintop reveals that God is, indeed, making all things new.

Our view from a mountaintop reveals that God is, indeed, making all things new.
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As we trudge through the lowlands, our feet fixed on a path ever moving upward. Let’s take heart in that fact.

The God who made the mountain and its panoramic view is making us in the valleys too. May that be a comfort and joy to you as the new year begins!

The God who made the mountain and its panoramic view is making us in the valleys too.
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{A version of this post was previously published here}

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LINK UP is open! For this year's last #Linkup, my friend @BethanyMcIlrath shares a beautiful post about life's valleys from God's perspective. Join us and share your blog!
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I hit the power button and waited for the three lights to announce that the machine was ready to brew. I was irritated that it took a whole minute for the welcoming blue lights to start blinking and another 30 seconds to brew my morning delight. “Give it to me now!” I thought to myself.

That’s when it dawned on me: my ability to wait has certainly changed since I moved to America. I remember the shock I experienced on my first American dining experience eighteen years ago. My husband picked me up at the airport and we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. The waiter was at our table in 30 seconds. We were served in 10 minutes. The bill was delivered while our food was still hot on the plates. I felt rushed. Surprised. Outraged, almost. I was used to the Brazilian way, where dining is an event to be savored, enjoyed, relished. We take our time. We talk a lot. Eat a lot. Seize the moment.

Rushing isn’t confined to the United States of America, though. My once laid-back Brazil has also quickly morphed into a fast-paced, impatient society in the past decade. Rushing is not the American way. It’s the millennium way. We want it and we want it now. We rush success, we rush intimacy and, invariably, we rush God.

The problem with the concept is in the very nature of God. God is patient. He can’t be rushed. He does not believe in instant anything. Rather, he believes in process. It takes time to listen to him. It takes effort and time to know him. And, in my experience, he certainly never seems to be in a hurry to deliver his promises.

Waiting is a difficult task. Depending on your personality, it’s nearly impossible. If you are a go-getter like me, it probably kills you not being able to control the timing and outcome of your projects and dreams. Waiting on true love. Waiting on that promotion. Waiting to conceive. It stinks, really. Our flesh screams: “Hurry up with the lesson, already. Just tell me what I need to learn. I’m ready to move on!” However, I believe that the reason for the waiting is often beyond our realm of understanding. Because it’s really not just about us.

In retrospective, I realize that I have often waited on something because the people involved in my prayer request were not ready. Or the situation wasn’t ready. Or I wasn’t ready.  I also realize how God has used the time I waited to strengthen me. Mature me. Change me. Change others around me.

Indeed, when we fully grasp that God is a good father, and, as such, he seeks to make us better people…When we realize that the process of waiting is one of his tools to accomplish just that, we stop expecting him to act as a one-cup coffee machine. We understand that the rewards of a life of trust far surpass the gifts we seek. Better yet, we realize that, as long as we listen and obey, he never fails us and always delivers on time.

The post It Takes Time and Patience to Follow God’s Plan appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.