Last week we talked about making a course correction. I told a story about when I was first learning to lead climb. I had veered off route and wound up in a dangerous situation. The outcome could have meant a bad whipper with a possible ground fall. This week I wanted to talk about how to protect yourself from veering off route in the first place.
Climbing, especially on lead, can be a bit of a head game. It is easy to lose track of where you are on the route as you search for good hand and footholds. I cannot tell you how many times I have had to point out to a climber that they were off route.
If you never look up and spot your bolts and anchor, you can unwittingly veer off route into a dangerous situation. The search for an easy path may take you to a section of rock with nothing to hold onto. But, if you use your bolts and anchor as a reference point, you will ensure that you follow the intended route, never veering too far to the left or right.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. – Psalm 119: 105
What is your reference point in life? What is the guiding force that keeps you on the right path, specifically designed for you? How do you ensure you keep yourself from perilous mistakes and life-altering decisions? How do you prevent yourself from gradually veering off route until you one day asked that question, “How did I get here?”
For me, my reference point is Jesus, and His Word. I have found that by keeping my eyes focused on Him my path is always clear, and moving in the right direction. The times in my life where I have made horrendous mistakes, caused myself major hurts, or shed tons of tears, where the times that I took my eyes off Him. Instead, I focused on myself and my own desires.
I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, – Psalm 16:7-9
Reference points in climbing are always essential to ensure you are going in the right direction. I always look up and know where my next boat is before moving upward. I trust the route setter’s decisions on bolt placement, and follow the designed route. I know that if I climb in this way, I may not always like the holds, and the route may not always be what I expect or want. However, I trust that the Route Setter has provided for me the best possible route, guiding me to the top, leading me to victory.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. – Psalm 16:11