We all experience disappointments, setbacks, but don't give in to discouragement
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Switzerland is a beautiful country. On a recent visit I encountered firsthand its majestic mountains and pristine lakes. It was a whoa, what, wow experience.
Most striking was the ease in which all this beauty could be accessed. The Swiss Alps are some of the highest mountains in the world. Yet, I was able to ascend to the top of two mountains with relative ease. If I had time, I could have visited many more.
We went to the top of Mt. Pilatus on a cog wheel train. This remarkable train chugs up at a 41 degree angle all the way to the summit of almost 7,000 feet. It is the steepest train ride in the world. And at the top are five restaurants and two hotels.
The Swiss determined they would not allow natural barriers to keep them from enjoying its beauty. (iStock)
To get to the top of Mt. Schilthorn, we traveled on four different gondolas, finally arriving at almost 10,000 feet above sea level. The reward was lunch at Piz Gloria, a restaurant that revolved 360 degrees, providing breathtaking views.
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Imagine the time, effort and work to build these structures and continually supply the hotels and restaurants each day. And these are not recent developments. The Swiss have enjoyed these mountain retreats for over 100 years.
There is also a spectacular trip on the Jungfrau Railway to the world-famous Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe. The two-hour train journey takes you to Europe's highest railway station at over 11,000 feet.
Then there is the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest and deepest railway tunnel. Opened in 2016, it consists of two 35-mile single-track tunnels for freight trains and passenger trains connecting Erstfeld with Bodio. It took 17 years to construct this tunnel.
The Swiss realized God had blessed them with a special land filled with unparalleled natural beauty. They determined they would not allow natural barriers to keep them from enjoying its beauty.
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So, they drilled through mountains, persevering for years, and created tunnels that gave them more time and opportunities to indulge in a variety of recreational activities. They built gondolas so they can hike and ski. They constructed train tracks at seemingly impossible angles and distances, opening vistas unattainable in any other way.
They simply overcame the barriers blocking them from fully experiencing their natural landscape.
The reality is we all have mountains in our lives that are barriers to having a beautiful life. And we need the same kind of determination and perseverance to overcome them.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus said by faith we could move mountains. He didn’t mean physical mountains. His listeners knew "mountain" was a Hebrew metaphor for problem or difficulty.
The Swiss have drilled through or gone over literal mountains. And we must do the same with metaphorical mountains – our challenges, problems and difficulties.
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We must believe they can be overcome and then act. But it won’t be quick or easy.
Sometimes we will have to dig through it, consistently working each day until there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Sometimes we will have to go over the problem, slowly trekking up at a severe angle until we finally overcome it.
Sometimes it will take numerous attempts until we finally reach our preferred destination.
But it can be done. We can conquer by continuing, by having the determination to see it through no matter how hard it is or how long it takes.
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You may think you can’t do it. It’s so hard, it’s so challenging, it’s so difficult. But it’s always darkest before the dawn. Sometimes the toughest it will ever be is right before the break through.
You must deal constructively with the challenges of life. We all experience disappointments, setbacks, tribulations. But choose to refuse to give in to the discouragement.
It may take longer or be harder than you thought. You may lack some resources, but a million dollars of determination will get it done.
Keep moving toward the vision you have for your future. Move upward, move forward, move onward.
God has a beautiful life for you to experience – don’t let any barrier block your way to it.
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Rick McDaniel is the President of High Impact Living, speaker, writer, host of the Point of Impact podcast, author of eight books including his new book This Is Living: Daily Inspiration To Live Your Faith. You can find him on Twitter at @rickmcdaniel and Instagram @rickmcdaniel_official.
