The Big Picture

As I hung onto the rock for my dear life, I began to let the thought consume me that I can't make it to the top. The only thing visible was the rock directly in front of me. No footholes, no place to go...I was stuck; hopeless and defeated. My friends below kept encouraging me by saying, "keep going, don't give up" but it didn't sink in. Why would they say that when it is obvious that I am stuck... at least from my perspective. 


Little did I know that I was only a few steps away from the top. But why did I neglect to see I was so close to the top? After sitting (or hanging) in the same place for over 10 minutes, I began to grow weary and tired. It was that point that I began to ask for help. Thankfully, my friends below graciously helped me (despite my stubbornness) to take the last few steps to the top. By the grace of God, I actually did it!


As I repelled back down and set my feet on solid ground, I looked up at the rock I had just climbed. Then, my friend pointed out where I was stuck and how close it was to the top. It was so much closer that I thought, I just couldn't see past what was right in front of me! I couldn't see the big picture.


In Proverbs 16:9 it says, "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps". He sees the bigger picture. In the midst of struggle, it is hard to see past what is right in front of us. We get so fixated on the circumstance that we neglect to see what God is doing in the process.


The good news is that we are not alone! We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses (Heb. 12:1). God made us for community. To encourage, sharpen and to share in grace and truth the bigger picture. It is then that the fog lifts, the chains are loosened and we are able to see who we are in light of who God is. We begin to see the struggle we are currently faced with as a small "dot" on our timeline of life. We are free to keep climbing and persevere. 


My dear friend, Maddison shared this verse with me tonight and it was so pertinent to the lesson God has been teaching me about seeing the bigger picture, " O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You. I will give thanks to Your name; For you have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness". That is what our God does...He sees the big picture and works wonders with perfect faithfulness! 


Here are a few more pictures from my first rock climbing experience...

Waiting our turn to climb!

The hardest part was getting started...

I believe this is when I said, "I can't do this!!"

All the guys waiting for their turn...

Meet Brody... This is our little FLI mascot (kinda). He is Kaley's little helper and it was so precious to watch him watch her as she climbed. He was a concerned dog!