I went rock climbing for the first time this summer with a group of high schoolers from Hope City. I don’t always enjoy trying new things when I’m not sure to succeed; staring up at the yellow rock face, doubts filled my mind–can I even make it half way? Will the harness really catch me if I fall? But with the pastor and a group of high schoolers watching me, I was determined to reach the top. 

 

To my surprise, I discovered a love for climbing, but not for the reasons I thought. It wasn’t the thrill or even the view that captivated me–it was the isolation. Once my feet left the ground, it was just me and the rock. It was a puzzle, and there were two things that would get me to the top: faith and dependency. Faith in my own strength and skill, and dependency on the harness to catch me when those things were insufficient. 

 

There are many things to appreciate about Smith Rock, but the silence is what sets it apart. It’s a quietness that settles in your bones and fills you with peace and awe. Interning with Hope City has put me in situations where I’ve felt the sweet isolation of God's presence. It’s not exactly loneliness, but of being totally alone and seen by One who is holy and powerful. It’s the experience of feeling small, but fully known and held in the hand of a Father who loves unconditionally. 

 

Romans 12:7-10 NIV says: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

 

I don’t like feeling weak or uncomfortable, and I definitely don’t like it when my abilities are not enough to see me through a situation. But working with students this summer has forced me to step outside my comfort zone and do scary things. I’m learning that God’s gracy truly is sufficient. He is glorified in both my gifts and my weaknesses, and He delights to help me. I am completely dependent on the Spirit, and I also have the privilege of participating in the work God is doing within and through me. 

 

Learning to draw strength from God and soak in His presence has been life-changing. My feeble attempts at scaling the rock, when combined with my dependence on the harness and faith in my own courage and strength, saw me through to the top. 

 

God is always working, and His grace is always enough.