Wednesday, June 11, 2014

LESSONS FROM THE TRAIL

                I just returned from a three day, men’s backpacking trip on the Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota. It was a challenging, exhilarating, and rewarding experience. We set out on the trail at about 1:00 PM on Friday afternoon, under clear blue skies and mild temperatures. It was a perfect day for backpacking. We faced our most challenging climbs that afternoon, as we made our way from the Temperance River to the top of the ridgeline. We were all ready to drop our packs when we arrived at our campsite on the Cross River, just above some shallow falls. The setting was beautiful, making for a wonderful first evening in the wilderness. Then things changed.

                Sometime in the night, it began to rain. It was light at first, then became steady and heavy. At 6:00 AM we awoke to a very different world than we had begun in. Because of the persistent rain, we packed up as quickly as we could and hit the trail. We didn’t even try to make breakfast. For the next five hours we slogged through the wet trails. The pants I had chosen to wear acted like a wick, soaking up the rain instead of shedding it. By the time the rain stopped, and we took a break at another campsite, I was soaking wet from head to toe. I changed into my dry clothes, ate some much needed food, and felt much better.

                The sun came out in the afternoon, which raised all of our spirits. Because of our early start, we covered more distance than we had planned, so we pressed on to a secondary campsite before stopping for the night. It was perfect! High on the ridge, open enough for the sun to warm and dry us, with a gentle breeze coming off of Lake Superior. The view was majestic. We had a delightful evening, even though we could not keep a campfire going, because of the wet wood. It turned cold that night, but we slept dry and relatively warm in our tents. The next morning was a short hike to the trailhead where we are to meet our ride home. We were not disappointed when we came to the end of the trail.

                As we were waiting for our ride to come, I thought of how our experience was a microcosm of life. Everyone begins life with optimism and positive expectations. We face some early challenges, but easily conquer them with the fresh vigor of youth. Then life throws us a curve. Something happens that is not easily overcome. It seems to last for a long time, and we begin to wonder if we are going to make it. Then the situation changes again, and we are back on a positive track. We follow this pattern throughout our life, with varying degrees of challenge, excitement, discouragement and delight.

                A passage of scripture came to my mind as we were waiting for our ride. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5

                There are three parallels in this passage to my backpacking experience. First, Paul tells Timothy to be prepared in season and out of season. Before we went on our trip, I gathered the men together and gave them some instructions about preparing for the trip. I told them that we had to be prepared for variable trail conditions. I could not guarantee a sunny, three-day hike. We had to take with us everything that we would need on the trail, while being careful not to weigh ourselves down with unnecessary items. One of our members chose to leave behind extra clothes in favor of a lighter pack. After the rain stopped, he wished he had put them in his pack, weight or no weight.

                In life, we need to be spiritually prepared for whatever might come. We cannot always predict the conditions that we will find ourselves facing. Therefore, it is important to equip ourselves with the right spiritual gear to face the challenges. At the same time, we have to resist the temptation to load ourselves down with unnecessary things that really only hinder our ability to effectively live out our faith. In Hebrews 12:1, we are instructed to throw off everything that hinders us. Just like in backpacking, there are essential things to carry and there are non-essential. We need to learn the difference. We can only carry a certain amount of things in our spiritual backpack. Choosing wisely which things to carry is an important part of being prepared.

                The second parallel is that we will face challenges along the way. Before we settled on the stretch of trail we would hike on, I studied the trail maps. I paid close attention to the terrain. The Superior Hiking Trail follows the ridgeline of the Sawtooth Mountains. By their name, you can guess their shape. The trail undulates up and down throughout its length. No matter where you start, you will encounter some challenging climbs. I warned the guys in advance that they would have to be ready for some strenuous uphill battles. I wasn’t wrong.

                Sometimes in life, we come to believe that, if we put our faith in Christ, the path ahead of us will always be smooth, level and barrier free. Not so. Instead, as Paul reminded Timothy, we should expect to face many challenges along the way. Satan doesn’t want us to have an easy go of it. He will do his best to discourage us, disillusion us, and defeat us. Knowing that the challenges are coming helps us to be prepared to meet them. One of the things we brought on our trip was walking sticks. They were valuable tools for helping us to maneuver up and down some steep spots on the trail. Jesus has given us resources to lean on during the tough uphill climbs of life. Most important is himself. Jesus warned us that the path before us would be rocky, but that we could lean on Him. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

                The last parallel is that, when you are on the trail, you have to keep pressing forward. When we awoke to rain on Saturday morning, we could have hunkered down in our tents and tried to wait out the rain, in wet misery. That strategy would have gotten us no closer to our goal. Instead, the best thing we could do was to press on through the rain. We got wet, but when the day ended we had arrived at a sun-drenched campsite, with an amazing view and a chance to really dry out.

                One of the things that Satan wants to do to us as Christians is to immobilize us. If he can get us to stop moving forward, he can stop us from being effective. When we stop making progress, especially in the face of spiritual challenges, discouragement, bitterness and complaining set in. These things sap our energy and make us unproductive. Christ wants us to press on, even in the spiritual rain. As we keeping pushing forward, we become stronger, more confident and more effective for Christ. As James tells us, it through the trials of life that our faith is refined. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

                I will be honest. Saturday morning, as the rain soaked into my shorts, I wasn’t sure that I would ever go on another backpacking trip. But, as we rested at the end of the trail, in the bright sun, I knew that there would be another one.

                There are days when we feel like we cannot go on in this journey of faith. But, as the Son shines his warmth and light into our hearts, we know that we will keep going until we reach the goal and win the prize for which Christ has called us.


    

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