Are we almost there?
One day a couple of years ago, my son, my dog, and I all went on a hike. We decided to climb Lantau Peak…from sea level. It was going to be a journey going up to 934 meters. We had never done it before and we had no clue what we were getting ourselves into.
The hike started off playful. We were making our way uphill, stopping to look at the sights. We played in the little water pools next to our trail and stopped and had some snacks along the way. When we got to the Big Buddha “wisdom path” area, we thought about turning around and going home, ending the day on a pleasant hike. But we thought against that idea and kept going.
What were we thinking?!
It seemed that all of a sudden our slight uphill hike turned into a vertical hike. It felt like we were climbing 3000 flights of stairs. It was never-ending. “Daddy, are we almost there?” My son kept asking me how much longer. Luckily, I had Google Maps with me. But sadly, I don’t think it was completely accurate. “Yeah, buddy, just 100 more steps!” Three hundred steps later, “OK, just 100 more steps.” This happened about 10 times.
We wanted to give up. We were exhausted. We were in pain.
But we kept going.
Finally, once we got through a clearance, my son could see the peak…and he SPRINTED to the top of the mountain! Our dog followed after him. Soon enough, I was there with them and we celebrated climbing this amazing peak.
The view we saw from the top was incredible. I’ll never forget it. All of a sudden, all of the pain and weariness was washed away. We were elated. We were energized! We were happy!
In thinking about the past year and the current situation in Hong Kong, I’m reminded of this verse from Romans where the Apostle Paul says:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
Even though we’ve been going through different trials collectively, all of us are facing various challenges daily. Sometimes, in the midsts of these hard times, it feels like we’re walking vertically up a mountain with no end in sight. And right when we think we see the light at the end of the tunnel, the path gets longer.
But let’s keep our eyes focused upward and forward knowing that one day, God’s glory will be revealed in us. To know that we are adopted by God and co-heirs with Christ. And therefore, though we share in His suffering, we also share in His glory.
Challenges come and go. Sometimes those challenges come in waves. Things change. Even though certain times can be unsettling and cause suffering, we can continue to believe that God is in control and ultimately we will be with Him in glory.
Have hope. Stay focused. Trust God.