I'm tempted, like Peter the Impetuous Disciple, to desperately desire to dwell on the mountaintop; "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah..." (Matt 17:4). In thinking like that I betray the belief that trials are, in themselves, negative at best - to be avoided at all costs. Yet, in my gut I know that what I wish is not His desire.
Consider this, had Jesus allowed Peter to pitch a few tents on the mountaintop to basque in the spiritual sunshine of His radiance, what would have happened - better said, what would NOT have happened? Well, with Peter chilling in his holy hammock, he would NOT have been present in the upper room on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the 119 others who met there. He would not have been empowered by the Spirit to address the crowd as recorded in the second chapter of Acts when 3000 were added to their numbers in a single day. Am I suggesting that God's work wouldn't have been done that day? Not likely. God has His ways of getting His purposes completed - He could have used someone else, but Peter sure would have missed out on seeing the power of God poured through a previously impetuous vessel.
Check out the third and fourth chapters of Acts and the incredible opportunities afforded to an out-of-work fisherman that Peter would have slept through like Rip Van Winkle had God granted His fleshly request to hang with the Big Three on the mountaintop.
Yes, mountaintops have their place, they are delightful and filling; enjoy them as they come. But, don't miss out on the valleys where our lives are poured out for the watering of the seed and the harvesting of eternal crops for His glory.
