The Peak by Chase Cowart

All of my life, I have been told that I fear failure. Yet, I never really understood the magnitude behind losing everything that I had worked so hard to gain.

When I was in high school, I found myself evaluating the idea of “peaking” in those around me. Whether it be in the halls, or on social media, I scoffed at those who I thought would “peak” in high school based off of what they valued, and I swore that my “peak” would come later. I thought that my future was going to be better than theirs. I had this fairy-tale, picture-perfect idea of running off to new beginnings, making a multitude of friends, and continuing the miraculous work that I had been doing all of my life.

However, I found myself utterly lost after my first two months of college. I was feeling weighed down with disappointment in myself and total shame for not reaching the “peak” that I was expecting. But, as we all know, God works in ways that we could never humanly imagine. In the past year, I have grown eminently in the idea of finding myself through my faith in God and finding my own version of success.

More importantly, I have learned the lesson that I struggled with the most during my first semester of college: my “peak” as a Christian human being, who is growing every day, will come in a variety of ways. I believe that I can “peak” every day by choosing to follow God and devoting my actions towards the ultimate “peak”: reaching Heaven.

While I have much to learn, and do not consider myself a scholar in the slightest, my values and attributes that make me who I am, are the reason why I can share my story, today. Experiencing true failure not only allowed me to conquer a fear that I did not know that I had, but it also pulled me the closest that I have ever been to God.

I urge anyone who feels as though they are not “peaking” in their life, or those who feel an overwhelming sense of failure to revisit the Beatitudes. These 8 messages helped me understand the virtues and values that God expected of me. Do not let the idea of falling short of your own expectations stand in the way of your faith. More importantly, do not let the corrupt world that surrounds us influence your humility and ability to show God’s love in everything that you do. While others might try and find their peaks through counterfeit fulfillment, the people of God can rest assured, knowing that we serve a merciful God, who will forgive us when we fall and raise us higher when we succeed.

Our “peak” comes from serving our God, who testifies against the brutal and unforgiving idea of failure that is instilled in many young adults, today.