287 Steps by Lisa Burkhardt Worley
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:1–2).
On our recent trip to Prague, we visited the Prague Castle, founded in 880 AD. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest coherent castle in the world.[1] There is also a tower on castle grounds where tourists can walk up to the top to take in a breathtaking view of the city, so my husband decided that we should climb up the tower. At first it seemed like a good idea but to get to the top of the tower, we had to walk up 287 steps that were laid out in a tight spiral.
There was no second staircase so when someone walked down the stairs, you had to squeeze in toward the wall to let them by. I realized how out of shape I was. About halfway up, breathing hard, I was not sure I could make it to the top so I had a decision to make. Should I push through or should I turn around? While it was difficult to complete the task, I prayed for endurance and kept moving forward. It was worth it because the view at the top was spectacular.
As I look back on this experience, I see how it compares to life. When the day-to-day gets difficult, our human nature is to turn back to a more comfortable place, or give up, but God wants to be the One we go to when we don’t feel we can take another step. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (NIV). Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (NIV).
God does not want us to go it alone! He is with us.
And when we persevere the trial—whatever it is and not matter how hard it was—looking at the difficulty from a higher perspective is always beautiful because we know we could have never made it through without the supernatural hand of God on our lives. At that point we should give thanks to the One who guided us to the top.
What trial are you currently going through? Have you called upon the supernatural power of God to enable you to move forward?
[1] https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle-for-visitors
Thank you, Lisa, for not turning around and going back down the stairs. You won that prize and gave us this strong encouragement because of it.