By Erin Elizabeth Austin
She was stuck. It’s been over ten years since it happened and I still can see her frozen in fear. It was the first time I’ve ever seen someone petrified, and that image has stayed with me even a decade later.
Twelve years ago, God blessed me with an incredible, glorious summer when all my health problems decided to stop. I don’t know how to describe that summer other than to say it was a gift from God and one in which I eagerly took advantage. I worked at a Christian girls’ camp as a cabin leader, but even more surprising, I was one of the four staffers who were trained and certified to run the camp’s 32-foot rock wall. For those who aren’t familiar with rock climbing, there needs to be a person who belays. What this means is a person is anchored into the ground wearing a harness and he is connected with a safety rope to the person climbing the wall. A belayer’s sole purpose is to keep the safety rope taut as the person climbs, so if he falls, he goes nowhere. The belayer is literally holding all of your weight up and keeping you from harm. It was a job I should have not physically been able to do, but I’m so grateful I did because it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
There are many fun stories that came from this experience, but the one I’ll never forget is the day a thirteen-year-old girl made it two-thirds of the way up the wall, and then she looked down. After that, she could not and would not move. For thirty minutes I held her weight while she continually yelled, “I can’t do this! It’s too hard!” Everyone was cheering her on. Our team leader even climbed up next to her to help her reach the top, but she refused to do it. It didn’t matter that I wouldn’t let her fall. Her fear was greater than her faith. And with only six needed steps to reach the top, she decided she’d rather quit and had me lower her back to the ground.
As we finish our Believing God series, I keep thinking of this girl. When I started studying all the areas we struggle to believe and trust God, I knew I had areas I didn’t fully believe God to take care of for me. Yet the more I studied and began to completely trust God, I realized that like the girl, I too was stuck. Unfortunately, I wasn’t stuck on something as simple as a rock wall. I was stuck in life. I had come so far in my walk with God, but the things He was calling me to do were scary. Yes, I knew He had me anchored and I wouldn’t fall, but my lack of faith kept me frozen from stepping out of my comfort zone. Maybe it’s the same with you.
I’ve loved listening to your stories and reading your comments on each devotion. We have all struggled at some point with fully believing God will fulfill His promises. But the more we believe Him and take Him at His Word, the more we see ourselves the way He sees us, and then is when the fun begins. God has great things in store for you and me, but we have to be willing to leave our comfort zones and trust Him with every single concern. As we end this series, I encourage you to go back and study the names of God and ask Him to show you if there’s an area of belief in which you need to work.
She was stuck. It’s been over ten years since it happened and I still can see her frozen in fear. It was the first time I’ve ever seen someone petrified, and that image has stayed with me even a decade later.
Twelve years ago, God blessed me with an incredible, glorious summer when all my health problems decided to stop. I don’t know how to describe that summer other than to say it was a gift from God and one in which I eagerly took advantage. I worked at a Christian girls’ camp as a cabin leader, but even more surprising, I was one of the four staffers who were trained and certified to run the camp’s 32-foot rock wall. For those who aren’t familiar with rock climbing, there needs to be a person who belays. What this means is a person is anchored into the ground wearing a harness and he is connected with a safety rope to the person climbing the wall. A belayer’s sole purpose is to keep the safety rope taut as the person climbs, so if he falls, he goes nowhere. The belayer is literally holding all of your weight up and keeping you from harm. It was a job I should have not physically been able to do, but I’m so grateful I did because it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
There are many fun stories that came from this experience, but the one I’ll never forget is the day a thirteen-year-old girl made it two-thirds of the way up the wall, and then she looked down. After that, she could not and would not move. For thirty minutes I held her weight while she continually yelled, “I can’t do this! It’s too hard!” Everyone was cheering her on. Our team leader even climbed up next to her to help her reach the top, but she refused to do it. It didn’t matter that I wouldn’t let her fall. Her fear was greater than her faith. And with only six needed steps to reach the top, she decided she’d rather quit and had me lower her back to the ground.
As we finish our Believing God series, I keep thinking of this girl. When I started studying all the areas we struggle to believe and trust God, I knew I had areas I didn’t fully believe God to take care of for me. Yet the more I studied and began to completely trust God, I realized that like the girl, I too was stuck. Unfortunately, I wasn’t stuck on something as simple as a rock wall. I was stuck in life. I had come so far in my walk with God, but the things He was calling me to do were scary. Yes, I knew He had me anchored and I wouldn’t fall, but my lack of faith kept me frozen from stepping out of my comfort zone. Maybe it’s the same with you.
I’ve loved listening to your stories and reading your comments on each devotion. We have all struggled at some point with fully believing God will fulfill His promises. But the more we believe Him and take Him at His Word, the more we see ourselves the way He sees us, and then is when the fun begins. God has great things in store for you and me, but we have to be willing to leave our comfort zones and trust Him with every single concern. As we end this series, I encourage you to go back and study the names of God and ask Him to show you if there’s an area of belief in which you need to work.
· The Heart of a Cynic
· Waiting on God
· In Need of Safety
· When I am Afraid
· In the Midst of Change
· When I am Weak
· Too Much to Handle
· When God Doesn't Heal
§ A Healing of the Soul
§ Why Me?
§ Walking Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death
· When Difficulties Come
· The Valleys of Life
· Burnt Out and Weary
It’s time to step out in faith and trust the Great Belayer. He won’t let you fall. Do you believe?
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” ~ James 1:5-8 (MSG)
“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.” ~ James 1:5-8 (MSG)
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