The Climb Within: The Path That Shapes Us by Wes Mast

Before you take another step, it helps to know the path.

Not because the climb will be easy— it won’t be.
Not because you’ll have it all figured out— you won’t.

But because understanding the terrain keeps you from believing something is wrong when the climb gets hard.

Growth is not accidental.
Ceilings and obstacles are not accidental.
And the climb within follows a path — one that has shaped climbers long before us.

We are not creations of destination.
We are formed, molded, and pruned by the journey.

Remember: No accomplishment and no summit can offer a reward as valuable as who we become along the way.

The destination matters, yes — but how we journey matters more.
And who we are at the end of the journey matters most of all.

The Climb Has Stages — Not Shortcuts

We often think transformation should feel like a straight line.
Forward. Upward. Clean.

But real growth doesn’t work that way.

We may say that life has ups and downs but what we really want is ups and ups, don't we? What is our response when the downs come? When we hit a ceiling, do we tell ourselves “It is not meant to be” or “I’m just not that type of person”? Maybe your calling is on the other side of the ceiling.

Growth and Comfort do not coexist. You can have growth or comfort, not both. So you have to choose.

To be clear, you can have growth and peace. Peace and comfort are 2 very different things. You were made for hard. Hard is not comfortable. You were born to impact this world and the expectation that it will be comfortable is just not reality.

There is no worthwhile path that has shortcuts around discomfort, obstacles, and pain. The climb moves in stages — moments and seasons that shape us differently depending on where we are and what we need next. Some stages feel energizing. Others feel exhausting. Some feel clarifying. Others feel confusing.  

Through every stage we need to be aware that the stages grow and reveal things in us that last beyond the destination. Every stage matters.

You don’t skip stages because you’re strong.
You don’t avoid stages because you’re faithful.
You move through them because you’re human.

The mistake isn’t being in a stage — it’s resisting the one you’re in.

A Path, Not a Performance

This climb isn’t about proving anything. It’s not about speed, comparison, or perfection. It’s about formation, awareness, and growth. It's about who you’re becoming while you climb.

At different points, you’ll be asked to move, endure, release, listen, serve, and surrender. Not all at once — but one faithful season at a time. We all have a choice in the path we walk...let’s be sure we are intentional on the path we choose. Many times in life (maybe you can relate with me on this) we are so focused on “climbing the ladder” and working hard to reach the top, only to find that once we got to the top, it was not the building we wanted to climb in the first place. Choose your ladder well and ensure you actually want to reach the top. If you find yourself on a ladder that's no longer right for you, don't be afraid to begin at the bottom of a different ladder. 

Here are stages I have encountered:

The Stages of the Climb Within

Start — Courage Before Certainty
Every climb begins with a decision. Not certainty, but courage. Start is the realization that there’s more, and the willingness to move before everything makes sense. The courage to take the first step.

Struggle — Resistance Reveals Resilience
Pain isn’t punishment; it’s preparation. Struggle exposes what we rely on and teaches endurance that comfort never could.  

Surround — Power of Proximity
Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. Your environment, your daily routines, and voices you hear shape who you become; often more than your intentions. Willpower alone is not enough. Proximity is a powerful teacher, and what you allow close to you will shape you.

Sacrifice — Elevation Requires Elimination
You can’t carry everything into the next season. Elevation requires elimination, and growth always costs something. Growth that costs nothing, shapes nothing.

Stillness — Be Still, Don’t Stall
Stillness isn’t inactivity — it’s alignment. This stage teaches us to listen, realign, and move forward with clarity instead of chaos. Pause without quitting. Stillness is where we are refined to continue our journey.

Surrender — Release Brings Peace
Surrender is not weakness — it’s rest. You can’t carry everything up. This stage releases outcomes and trusts God fully with what has been built. Don’t carry what you were never meant to hold. Trust even when you can’t control.

Significance — The Shift from Me to We
A calling fulfilled is realized through contribution. The climb matures when strength turns outward and joy multiplies through serving others. We are leaving a legacy, not looking for applause. This is where the fruits of our journey are multiplied. 

These stages aren’t steps on a checklist. They’re happening within our soul, whispering to us what the journey is trying to reveal and teach. Don’t get so busy on the path that you miss the whisper of your soul.

You may revisit some stages.
You may sit in one longer than you’d like.
That doesn’t mean you’re failing — it means you’re growing.

Where Are You on the Path?

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is simple: Where am I right now?

Not where you wish you were.
Not where you think you should be.
But where you actually are.

Awareness creates peace and resistance creates frustration.

When you honor the stage you’re in, you cooperate with the work it’s doing in you.

An Invitation to Walk Together

In the posts ahead, we’ll walk each stage slowly and honestly — not as experts looking down from the summit, but as fellow climbers learning to breathe, trust, and take the next step.

You don’t need to rush the climb. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to stay on the path.

Reflection: Locate Yourself on the Trail

1. Which stage of the climb do you resonate with most right now — and why?
   
   
2. Is there a stage you’ve been resisting or trying to skip?
   
   
3. How might honoring your current stage bring more peace to your journey?
   
   
4. What would it look like to cooperate with the work this season is doing in you?
   
   

Closing Prayer

God, help me recognize the season I’m in without judgment or fear. Give me grace to embrace the work You’re doing — even when it’s uncomfortable or unclear. Teach me to walk the path with trust, patience, and courage, knowing that every stage is shaping me for something greater.

Amen.