GN Commentary: July 16, 2009 - Keep Climbing

There are times when life can seem like an unscalable mountain, but with God's direction it's possible for you to reach the summit. So keep climbing.

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Video Transcript

Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. Over fifty years ago he scaled the highest mountain then known to man - 29,000 feet straight up. Not only was he was knighted for his efforts but he even made credit card commercials because of it!

But did you know that Sir Edmund had to grow into his success? You see, he previously attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed.  A few weeks after that disappointment, a group in England asked him to speak to its members.  He received thunderous applause as he walked on stage.

Even though the audience recognized his monumental attempt, a disappointed Edmund Hillary didn't see himself as a success. Reportedly he moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the stage. He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain and he said in a loud voice, "Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I'll beat you the next time because you've grown all you are going to grow... but I'm still growing!"  Now the rest is history.

This is a great lesson for all of us.  We all face disappointments and failures but like Edmund Hillary we have to refuse to accept failure. That's a godly principle: The Apostle Paul tells us: "I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize." (Philippians 3:12 CEV)

What about you? Has disappointment stopped your progress? You can choose to be "growing in every way more and more like Christ" (Ephesians 4:15 NLT)  But you have to know God's plan for life.  Get to know your Bible.  Get to know the true God.

No doubt, there are times when life can seem like an unscalable mountain, but with God's direction it's possible for you to reach the summit. So keep climbing.

For GN Magazine, I'm Steve Myers.