Why It’s Not Too Late to Try Something Hard

At times I have thought: I can’t do that. It’s too late to try something hard. But a trip to Zion National Park changed my perspective.

A few years ago, my husband and I went to this awesome park (it’s one of my three favorite national parks). When we first arrived, we simply drove up and down the scenic highway and took pictures. We hiked a few easy and moderately difficult trails. But on our third day in the park, we decided to be brave and try one of the most difficult trails in the park–Angel’s Landing.

This trail climbs and climbs through multiple switchbacks, arriving at a place where you need to climb on a very narrow ridge, clinging to chains anchored in the stone. Although we only made it a little way on the most dangerous part because it started snowing and blowing something fierce, we felt pretty good about our fitness and bravery for having made it that far.

There was only one thing that dampened our satisfaction in our accomplishment–as we were huffing and puffing our way up the section of the trail known as Walter’s Wiggles, a couple in their 70s passed us!

We had stopped to take a couple of pictures (and catch our breath) when this very fit senior couple–zipped right on by!

Let me tell you–some of my bravado for even trying this insane trail fizzled out. What did it say about my fitness if someone twenty years older could outdo me?

But what if I looked at this in another way?

What if seeing this older couple helped me to realize getting older didn’t necessarily mean getting worse? What if getting older meant I could still achieve daring things? What if I could still could climb higher and realize new goals?

Wherever we are in life, God has great plans for us. In Isaiah He tells us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

God’s plans don’t have age restrictions. If you are young and just starting out life on your own–God has a wonderful design for your life. If you are in the middle of your life, God is planning something amazing. If you are like the couple that passed me on the path, God is working out something astounding for you too. Let’s not give up!

I could let that couple that passed me on the Angel’s Landing trail discourage me.

Or I could let them inspire me. Inspire me not to use age as an excuse. Inspire me keep working at my goals. Inspire me to keep climbing higher.

And just maybe–inspire me to pass up people twenty years younger!

Next step: Is there a goal or activity that you’ve wanted to do but keep telling yourself it’s too hard? Take it to the Lord, remembering He has great plans for you! Ask Him if He wants you to step out in faith and try it.