After The Work

You may have heard the expression “when you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!” It feels like a cliche’ you might hear from a mid 2000’s RE:Knot:FW:FW:FW email from your mother. When you are at the end of your rope, you might feel like tying it around someone else in frustration. It feels like someone telling you to “calm down” when you are upset. It seldom works to calm us, just as we really would rather not be hanging by a rope of any kind.

The moments we feel we are going to fall, when we reach the end of the rope is when we need options and reassurance. We take measures to ensure we do not fall and bide our time to gain strength for the climb to come. Instead of dangling by a rope, perhaps we should focus on our skill and our view.

Our first step is to patient endurance. This too will pass. Our emotions will calm again and we will be able to climb. Having our eyes on the rope and the goal are essential. Climbing up requires moment to moment focus, hand over hand. This is like faith in action, focusing on our hand holds is much like focusing on Christ with each decision. We rely upon the rope as we rely upon God holding us up. The difference is God will not break, even as a rope may fray or our hands may become raw.

The second is appreciation of where we are. Gratitude helps us endure hard times because we are focusing upon what is good, where progress has been made, what beauty does surround us. Psalm 19 begins with wonderful words of appreciation, “¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” Knowledge of science and of the world only can increase our appreciation of the world. Billions of years moving together to this moment where you could give up and lose the view, or you could continue to hold on and marvel at what is before you.

Tying a knot is only a small part of the climb we call life. Look around and appreciate what you do have. Take a deep breath and find your center, uttering a prayer for strength. You can do this. Look at your next move, next step, your next handhold, remembering how your heart and mind are to guide your decision making process. Finally, begin again, just for today, to move towards your goal.