I love to hike. I always have, particularly up mountains. There is just something about seeing the world from that perspective that calls to my soul. It rejuvenates me.
One summer, my family and I climbed a 12,000 ft plus peak near our home. It was listed as one of the easiest peaks to summit. Still, at one point I wondered if we had been too ambitious in our goal. Eventually everyone made it to the top, and we were rewarded with a breathtaking sight of the rest of the mountain range. It is one of my favorite memories, but it isn’t the same for everyone.
To this day, our youngest daughter claims it was one of her worst days ever. As you can probably guess, she does not share my affinity for hiking. She will go, but it is not on her preferred to-do list. That particular hike was quite difficult for her, even as an active 5 year old. The elevation change affected her so much that on the way down she passed out.
I have often wondered what we could have done differently to help our daughter have a better experience on that hike. We had brought enough water and snacks for the trip. We were dressed adequately. I had read reviews of others taking younger kids on that particular route so I felt confident it would be fine. We probably could have prepared a little better physically, but I think the main improvement would have been to rest more often.
It is obvious that God understands the importance of rest. In the beginning, He set apart the Sabbath for that purpose. This necessity is also brought to light in the story of Elijah the prophet. He really had an uphill battle to climb in life. He was constantly trying to correct a wayward people, even calling down a severe drought and inviting the prophets of Baal to a public showdown to encourage devotion to the one true God. After that most impressive display of fire, Elijah was forced to run for his life to avoid Jezebel’s wrath. You can feel his despair when he pleads for the Lord to take his life. He was tired and ready to pass out.
I love how the Lord answers his prayer. He sends an angel who makes him a cake. The angel has him eat and rest, “because the journey is too great for thee” (1 Kings 19:7). The Lord recognized he needed a respite. After resting physically, Elijah continued his journey to Horeb. Interesting enough, it is the same “mountain of God” where Moses was called by the Lord in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1). There, Elijah was blessed with some spiritual resting and strengthening.
We all need that. In fact, I think it is only becoming more necessary as the weeks and years roll on. I don’t want to faint because I did not take the time to rest. I will follow Elder M. Russell Ballard’s council that he gave in his October 2016 General Conference talk, “To Whom Shall We Go?”.
Life can be like hikers ascending a steep and arduous trail. It is a natural and normal thing to occasionally pause on the path to catch our breath, to recalculate our bearings, and to reconsider our pace. Not everyone needs to pause on the path, but there is nothing wrong with doing so when your circumstances require. In fact, it can be a positive thing for those who take full advantage of the opportunity to refresh themselves with the living water of the gospel of Christ.
In just a week, we have a great opportunity to get that added rest. I invite you to prepare for and enjoy the feast.
Living In The Sweet Spot 