How many of you feel weak as you go through life trying to be a good Christian? I know that at times I have felt that and have wondered if the struggle was worth it. The Bible clearly says though that,

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." - Psalms 46:1

So how can this promise be a reality in our lives? I would like to share with you a time in my own life when I realized more fully how to make this a reality.

In January 2007 we went as a family to NZ for a holiday, having a love for the great outdoors we spent a lot of time exploring the natural wonders of this country. In the North Island we explored the many volcanoes in the area, and ended up climbing Mt Nguarhoe, an active volcano. It is approximately 2,931m above sea level, was 12 years overdue and was currently on alert level 1.Which meant an increase of volcanic activity. Not very encouraging thoughts as we started that morning.

First we walked up the valley that narrowed as we got closer to the mountain till we were climbing over sharp mounds of old lava. By the time we had climbed the saddle and were at the base of the mountain we were quite tired because of the high altitude. A short rest and then the mountain that towered above us. Up we went and what a hard climb! The mountain is a classical cone shape and so is extremely steep! All our climbing was done on a Slope like this / ! Very tiring and if you looked down your legs went to jelly!

The slope of the mountain was covered with loose grave (called scoria) so that at times you did one step up and one step back. The last little bit was a literal on the knees job with very little to hang on to. Exhausted we finally got to the top, walked alone a narrow track and then sat down on hot rocks with steam coming out behind us.

My mind then turned to the power that lay underneath me that has destroyed cites and landscapes within minutes. And is more powerful than anything that man has ever made. Then the thought hit me God made this mighty power as it says in Psalm 33:6-9:

"By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast." - Psalm 33:6-9

You see friends, this climb is a lot like our lives. Full of tough times, weaknesses, troubles, trials, ill health and many other things. But as the power in the volcano was always there during the climb, so God is always with us no matter what we are going though. He promises in Isaiah 40:29 that:

"He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength" - Isaiah 40:29

The key then is to, just like that climb, never let go of God in our lives as He is always there for us. Just like the power in the volcano was with us the entire time of our hike. And when we are climbing the hardest times of our lives and feel the weakest it is then that God's power is greater!! I love this encouraging statement taken from the beautiful book Desire of Ages:

"Not a sigh is breathed, not a pain felt not a grief pierces the soul, but the throb vibrates to the Fathers heart..... God is bending from His throne to hear the cry of the oppressed. To very sincere pray He answers, Here am I. He lifts the distressed and downtrodden. In all our afflictions He is afflicted. In every temptation and every trial He is near to deliver." - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages p. 356