Beautiful Grace
In the mighty and unyielding landscape of the Himalayas, mountain guide Gelje Sherpa navigates the towering heights of Chomolungma – the Mother of the World, known to many as Mount Everest.
On one of his climbs, Gelje and his private client crept toward the highest peak in the world, slowly making a path through the snow and ice. A speck in the distance caught Gelje’s attention: a lone climber, motionless, dwarfed by the magnificent mountain, terrifyingly close to surrendering to the frozen grip of Everest.
Selflessly, Gelje hiked towards the climber, his footprints etching a testimony of his courage in the treacherous terrain. When he got to the climber, he wrapped him in his sleeping bag, every bit of warmth as precious as life itself. He then administered oxygen in hopes of keeping him alive. Then the act of heroic grace: hoisting the dying man onto his back, he began a six-hour descent, each step weighed down by the burden of a life hanging in the balance.
This true story of rescue and survival mirrors the message of God's grace. The climber did nothing to merit Gelje’s lifesaving aid; he didn't even have the capacity to request it. But Gelje, fueled by selfless compassion, much like the “Good Samaritan,” gave his assistance freely – an inspiring echo of the grace God lavishes on humanity.
What if things had gone differently on top of Everest?
What if Gelje demanded that the stricken climber demonstrate that he is a proficient climber before lending a helping hand? That would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?
It is also irrational to presume that we can earn God's grace through our own righteous acts as if God needed our goodness. God gave the law to serve as a mirror into our souls to reveal our inadequacy and our need for him.
Like the frozen climber, we are utterly incapable of saving ourselves – we can’t even take one step down the mountain on our own.
Yet, in the world of recovery from alcohol and substance misuse, most people try to get better or stop on their own, in their own strength. Even if you haven’t struggled with addiction, I bet you can empathize with the desire to fix things in your own power.
What do Gelje Sherpa and God’s Grace have to do with You?”
God’s grace is not a response to our achievements but an unmerited outpouring of his love. This gift comes not from our ability to earn it or even ask for it, just as the Everest mountaineer couldn’t save himself. It is freely given, and it transforms our lives. As Gelje's unsolicited act of bravery rescued the climber, so too are we saved by God's unearned grace.
Other religions urge their followers to put their lives in order first, to prove their worthiness of salvation. In Christianity, God tells us, Let me save you first, and then I will teach you to follow me and to be holy as I am holy. Keeping God’s laws is not a prerequisite for receiving his grace; instead, His law shows us our need for him and serves as safety ropes in climbing – they help us navigate the treacherous terrain after we’ve accepted the grace.
If you have turned from a life of misusing alcohol or substances, you are in recovery. If you have experienced the gift of God’s grace, then YOU are in recovery (from a former way of life). We have all been the near-dead, stranded mountaineer with no hope of surviving.
Just as Gelje offered the climber guidance and support after the rescue, so too does God offer us guidance – in the form of His laws – after we've received His grace. They aren’t prerequisites for receiving grace; they’re divine wisdom for the journey that follows our salvation.
This is life in recovery
…not of human effort and performance but of divine intervention. God’s grace, like Gelje’s help, comes when we least deserve it and most need it. We can't earn it; it’s bestowed upon us. And that's the beauty of grace.
Opportunities and Resources:
The PATH: We always need volunteers to serve as Guides. We especially need women. Guides are men and women that partner with Unbound Grace and the Foundry to mentor men and women that are continuing their recovery journey in the real world. Being a Guide takes about one hour a week and lasts for 12 weeks. If you are interested, please email me or Tyler Harris at tyler@unboundgrace.life
Leaders Collective: People gain confidence by doing hard things but confident people gain confidence consistently by doing hard things well. Our ministry friend, Cartwright Morris, has a program that targets college-age men through men in their 30s that focuses on a 3 step process to do hard things well (like selling!) and gain confidence in yourself and perform at a high level! Click here if you want to learn more.
Clearlee: Our friend Liz Read has developed a fantastic tool for families to use for accountability and rebuilding trust. More than 23 million adults in the United States have struggled with problematic drug use — countless family members suffer alongside them. Clearlee’s remote drug monitoring programs help these individuals, their loved ones, and the organizations supporting them work together toward long-term wellness. If you are interested in learning more about Clearlee, please click here. They have graciously provided Unbound Grace with a coupon code that I am happy to share with you for a 10% discount.
