Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference In Climbing?

I wonder how many mountain and rock climbers think prayer is important? I have no idea. I've never done a survey or seen a study.

However, I have a hunch that many pray at least when they get in a tight spot, experience a sudden fall or face an unexpected thunderstorm.  Similar results may be true for those who face a mountain that life gives them.

Some may trust God implicitly and believe He really does care about their struggle. Others may not surprisingly wonder why God didn't intervene if He's so loving.

So let me offer a few thoughts about the place of prayer in our climbing. First of all, it would be wise and certainly can't hurt to look for God on our climbs. I mean, no matter where we're climbing, we have to admit that those walls, those rocks, those mountains and our circumstances are clearly bigger than we are. All that we see around us certainly wasn't put there by us!

Second, God also gave us brains to use to prepare well, make good decisions and not be foolish. I would guess that He tires of people all of a sudden praying to Him to get him out of messes they could have avoided if they had just been smart and better prepared. Yes, I believe He still does bail us out at times, but we'd have been smart to invite Him even earlier into our preparation.

Third, prayer is only logical if there is a God who is personal and still interested in His creation. This is where I think actual climbing in the mountains helps us remember that. The grandeur, majesty and size of the mountains speaks to a power much greater than mankind could ever produce.

So, as you climb, try talking to the One who created it all. If you've not done that before, at least give it a shot. I can tell you that from my experience He's willing to listen. He wants to know you and have you know Him. And He wants to be your fellow climber as well.