Acquiring and growing a testimony is like climbing a mountain. As we ascend we can turn and view the vista behind us, and feel a sense of accomplishment at how far we’ve come. As we continue to climb we arrive at the top and feel a rush of accomplishment and growth. However, as we look into the distance we soon become aware that there are towering peaks before us that need to be climbed. We know if we leave theses unclimbed we’ll be missing out on experience, experience that we need and should not put off.
Not all who climb continue to climb, it is difficult and many chose to ignore the invitation of the inviting peaks. It is easy to plateau in our journey, especially when everything is going well where we’re at.
This is when we begin to forget the Lord and take side paths that we can mistake for climbing towards the peaks. These side paths have many destination but none of them offer the rewards of climbing towards the peaks.
The peaks represent the things the Lord knows we are in most need of. The side paths represent the struggles we allow ourselves to wander into because we’re not staying focused on moving steadily towards the peaks.
We need to keep our eyes riveted on the purpose for which we are members of the church and that is receiving the Holy Ghost and then maintaining and growing in this gift. When trials come on us, we’re quick to take side paths and busy ourselves in things like learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth, or indulging in the things of the flesh that create chains of bondage, or idling away our time.
The Lord provided us with the gift of repentance which allows us to get back climbing towards the peaks. His lament is that, “my blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not”. We need to hear the Lord and move towards Him which means we need to start climbing towards the peaks.
The scriptures are our map and compass. The church is our outfitter, and the living prophets our guides.
Why do we spend time criticizing our resources for the climb, even when it appears justifiable, but is forbidden by the Lord?
What side paths can you identify in your life that may be keeping you from climbing towards the peaks?
Interesting concept. I remember reading something similar in the works of Gurdjieff, who (to put it a bit simplistically) that human beings are in a trance, and see things from the standpoint of the trance that they/we are in. This makes it difficult to see the need for spiritual work in the first place, but even when we do see/glimpse it, it is difficult to put into practice. I liken this to the cry of Nephi in 2 Nephi 1:13.
From personal experience I have again and again rediscovered that the path of repentance is the quickest and best way of personal progress. I make no claim of superiority or being in anyway superior to others, or even to my past self, because of the many ways in which I do daily err, and see even more need for change/repentance, and continual growth.
Mike–
Knowing our objective and repenting, as you stated, is the key.
This post is soooo true. And sometimes it is hard to admit to others what our mountains are because they may not see why it seems like such a mountain to us. We can minimize others’ mountains into hills when they aren’t our mountains.
That’s sometimes the most painful part. I heard someone say one time, that “that which we cannot talk about is what runs us”. Or something like that. We find our authentic selves to be shameful so we put the mask on. And we spend a lot of time convincing ourselves and others the mask is real.
Boy what am I rambling on about? I talk as if I have something to say.