Between Ruins & Redemption: Christ Gives Us The Power To Do Hard Things

I'm back with another reflection from my recent mission trip to Greece and Turkey. This time, we're visiting Corinth--the place Paul lived and worked for 18 months. After visiting this beautiful location, I can see why he spent so much time here. The water is crystal clear. The mountains are gorgeous. And unlike many parts of Greece, there are actual trees and grass. Corinth is absolutely stunning, but Paul's time here wasn't all sunshine and slouvaki.

While in Corinth, Paul faced opposition and was even beaten and arrested. While there, I saw the remains of the flogging post that Paul was tethered to in the central square. The image that presents in my mind is startling. In a place where the worship of gods and goddesses was the primary religion, preaching the gospel was certain to receive backlash--in more ways than one. Yet, Paul's time in Corinth was one of his most fruitful pilgrimages. The Corinthian church was born and thus, the teachings of 1st and 2nd Corinthians that we so often turn to today. But for the sake of this post, I want to share with you my own opposition and triumph in Corinth.

This was only our second full day on our mission trip and little did we know, we'd be tasked with climbing a literal mountain. Did you know Greece is mountaneous? Well, I didn't. In the Grecian heat, little water, empty stomaches, and with ill-equipped tennis shoes, we began our trek. What began as a seemingly easy climb up some cobble-stone steps turned into a barely marked, rugged path that had me on my hands crawling up the mountain.

Out of water, dry lips, constantly reapplying sunscreen--I could see the top (the destination) but was unsure which path to take to get there. Myself and three others were separated from the larger group. We feared getting lost. Maybe we were lost. As others considered turning back, I wondered what coming back down would be like. Maybe if we kept going, there would be a safer path back to the bottom? Thinking this the case, I put on some worship music and encouraged the rest of my little group to finish the climb after we received direction on which way to go.

When you're lost, wait for the Lord to direct your steps rather than continuing down the wrong path.

This experience of listening to worship music--without headphones, so that my group wouldn't lose me-while I ran, sometimes crawled, up the side of this mountain was emotional. The first song that came on my playlist was actually a song that I sang as part of my audition for our church choir. This moment made me feel that God was me, and it made me feel--like the day I joined the choir--that I was part of a team. As me and my group made it to the top, completing the task we were starting to think impossible, we became a team.

Corinth was our bond-building day, and I'm so thankful it was early in the trip. But what I took from this day wasn't only the newly-formed bonds with my fellow missionaries. It was also the presence of Christ, and the joy of doing hard things.

God was with us that day, as if there's a single day He isn't. He kept us strong and healthy as we climbed. He kept us from passing out from dehydration. He gave us the reward of finishing the race and making it back down the mountain safely. Unfortunately, we did have to go back down the way we came and it was not fun. But still, this day reminded me of three principles.

1. Christ gives us the power to do hard things.

2. If you're going through a storm or challenge, why stop and linger? Keep going.

3. Nothing lost that desires to be found remains lost. God seeks us out and rejoins us to Him just like He rejoined us to our group at the top of the mountain.

And then we had the best meal of our entire trip! Greek family style cooking: chicken slouvaki, moussaka, Greek salad, pita and tzatziki, homemade lemonade, and more.

The next time you're faced with a challenge, remember that Christ gives you the power to do hard things. Choose to keep going rather than turn back. And if you feel lost, ask for help, for direction. God will guide you.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7