The Hill of Truth

I've had a lot on my mind lately, with just everything. Some days I breeze through on a roll, getting things done, working as a busy little bee. Other days, I feel like I am drowning in a bog of quicksand. My family observes Sundays as a Sabbath day of rest. Other than fellowshipping together, studying God's Word, and worshipping - we always make it a point to do some kind of family activity that involves being in the outdoors (weather permitting). 

This past Sunday, we went to our favorite hiking (and kayaking) grounds that is just a skip hop away from our home. We picked our desired trails, set a course, and got going on our weekly appreciation trek of God's creation. It is during these hikes (or kayaking ventures since it's next to a river), that I talk to the Lord, listen, and just rest. Yeah, I'm hiking up and down ridges and sometimes it's hot, sometimes it's cold and I'm left with sore muscles in the end, but it is truly a rest for me. Spiritually and mentally, it is my place where I can just be with Him even though I've got two kids and a husband trailing behind me (no pun intended). 

The hike was beautiful as we chose a trail that essentially hugged the river bank, but went inland up and over a ridge. In the middle of our hike, we came to a crossroads where we could take the trail to the left (very steep switchback curved trail) or the trail straight ahead. Looking at the map, we saw that if we took the trail straight ahead we would come to the base of an infamous trail called the Hill of Truth. This is what I'd like to focus on, though I could spend an hour detailing our hike and all the neat things the Lord let us find and enjoy. 

The Hill of Truth.... We were all like, "What a name! I wonder why they named it the Hill of Truth? It must be awful or something." So we came to where the Hill of  Truth trail started and saw that it was actually incorporated into the power utility gravel access that cuts smack dab through the middle of this hiking park. TVA's Bull Run steam/coal plant is right across the river, so they have those big metal towers going all over the place. This was one such line of them that cut through. 

So, this gravel access road/trail was part of the hiking map and labeled the Hill of Truth. When we got there, we saw (and kind of already had an idea since we'd previously hiked a trail south of there that had similar terrain) that it was nothing but ridge after ridge after ridge. And I'm talking about steep ridges at that, even if they aren't very tall (to us mountain folk). Looking to our right and knowing that we weren't going that way, but still respecting the trail before us, I stopped and just looked at the gravel path there.

It wound up in switchback curves up the highest ridge with a power tower at the top. And though from a distance, it looked innocent enough and fairly easy, I knew better. I knew that it was something that would leave you gasping for air and water, and your calves and thighs would be bursting with pain and weakness by the time you reached the pinnacle of it. I took a picture of the trail from our position which was on top of very short, but steep incline. As I snapped a picture, a fellow hiker made his way up the Hill of Truth. I thought, what a brave and highly fit fellow....

The Lord spoke to me during this time though. So our whole hike I just meditated on what He wanted to teach me and show me, using this Hill of Truth trail. You see, the Hill of Truth shows us our heart and where we stand in the faith. And though it looks simple enough, though long and winding, we think to ourselves, "No problem....I can do this....Lord, show me the truth!" And then before we know it, we're hit with reality:  being shown the truth of our heart and life will hurt. 

It will hurt as our spiritual muscles are heavily exercised and pushed. It may even knock the breath out of our soul's lungs and leave our mind gasping. It'll leave our heart panting for living water. The kicker is, we have a choice. We can choose to face the Hill of Truth, or not. We can choose to have the Lord expose to us all sin in our life, everything that is not of Him and that needs to be removed. Or, we can choose not to - continuing in lukewarm fashion, continuing with the world's ways. 

If we choose to face the Hill of Truth and allow the Lord to expose the darkness in our life, it will hurt. It will be so very, very hard. However, if we make it and don't give up, when we reach the top - the end of it, we will be so relieved and strengthened. That power tower represents freedom and forgiveness found in Christ. Facing the truth of our life will expose some nasty stuff and not everyone sees the process through. Some, when seeing the difficulty of it, will turn around and go back the easier way, taking a different route. But the route to the power tower (Jesus) is only one way. There is no other way. Those who take the other route, won't be cleansed and won't find that freedom found only in Christ.

If you want to be free of sin, demonic oppression, the desires of the flesh....you're going to have to face the Hill of Truth. Don't allow pride to color your perspective of it: oh it'll be easy, it doesn't look that bad, God is love, Jesus loves me, I can do it no problem.... Those with that perspective are more prone to be the ones who turn around - half way, a quarter of the way, or even at the very start. But no, face the Hill of Truth with repentance in your mindset and humility in your heart.

Say, "Lord, I want to be transformed into Your image. I want to live righteously and obedient to You, unhindered by anything that is not of You." Then put one foot in front of the other, with your eyes ahead on the prize, that is Christ Jesus. Go. Face the Hill of Truth and go. When your spiritual lungs gasp for air, remember that the Breath of God is in your lungs and He gives you life. When your soul thirsts for water, remember that Jesus is the Living Water that never dries up. When your spirit's muscles are screaming in pain and become weak, remember that the Lord is our strength and our Rock. 

You see, when I looked at the physical Hill of Truth trail there at that hiking park, the Lord told me that I, myself, needed to face and make the decision to hike the spiritual Hill of Truth. The hiker I watched making his way up had no water, no hiking stick, nothing to assist him. So too must we do the same spiritually, because Jesus is all that we need. The Lord is El Jireh, He will provide. We just have to choose Him and choose to face that Hill of Truth. 

This whole week I've prayed that the Lord prepare my heart to meditate on and worship Him and what He has done for me (this being the Passover/Resurrection weekend). To do that, He's had me hike the Hill of Truth and what was uncovered was not pleasant, not at all. The switchback steep curves revealed to me that I haven't let go of fear yet. I am still struggling with fear. Fear over losing my family (that is before the Great Persecution that's coming very soon here), fear of failure, fear of being rejected, fear of not meeting expectations (in anything).....just fear. 

Being shown that was like having blackberry brambles grab at my bare arms and legs on a hiking trail (there are quite a few at that location). But, I heard and I acknowledged it. I say in all humility that I am facing it and I am striving to push on and upwards. Christ is my prize, He holds freedom in His hands. I just have to endure and keep pushing, keep putting one foot in front of the other. Have I reached the top yet? No, I haven't as this week's Hill of Truth has shown me. But, I will get there someday, hopefully sooner rather than later. 

Deliverance is found only in Christ. However, true deliverance and transformation can only come when one chooses Christ. When one chooses to face the difficult path ahead, and relies upon Christ to set him free. So my question to you is this, have you been offered the chance to face the Hill of Truth, but took another way? If so, go back and face it. Have you attempted the Hill of Truth, but turned around when the going got tough? If so, get back up and try again, this time striving to make it all the way to the top. Have you faced the Hill of Truth, had areas or an area in your life exposed, endured your way through the process of full surrender, and reached the top? If so, encourage our brothers and sisters to keep going and do the same. 

And you know what? There is never just one Hill of Truth. There will be many times in your life that you will be given that choice. I have faced the Hill of Truth before and endured the process, reached the top, and experienced freedom and forgiveness in that area. It's behind me and so I encourage (and warn) those in the church who also face the Hill of Truth with similar struggles. This week however, I had to face it again and now I am working my way up, enduring only with the strength the Lord gives me. Fear must flee in the Name of Jesus! I may reach the top bleeding, out of breath, and dying of thirst....but Jesus is my portion, my prize, my rest. 

Some day we may physically hike the Hill of Truth trail, and when/if we do, may the Lord remind me of His goodness in allowing us the choice of facing those spiritual Hills of Truth. Are you standing before the Hill of Truth? Do it, hike it, endure the pain and struggle, and be set free. Don't take another trail, the easier trail. It will not set you free. Only the Hill of Truth. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life. Choose Him.