Some mountains are climbed. Some are tunneled through. Some are conquered one shovel at a time. And some can only be moved by faith.
A Chinese proverb, Yu gong yi shan, carries a meaning similar to the familiar phrase, “Faith can move mountains.” The proverb comes from an ancient fable about a man named Yugong, who lived with his family between two mountains that blocked their way in and out of the village.
Approaching ninety years old, Yugong decided to remove the mountains—one shovel at a time.
His neighbors thought he was foolish.
“You are nearly ninety,” they said. “With the little strength you have left, you couldn’t even cut down a tree on that mountain. How could you possibly move all that soil and rock?”
But Yugong saw beyond his own lifetime. “It’s true that I will die,” he replied, “but I have sons, and they will have sons. I will have endless generations, but these mountains will not grow. Why can’t they be leveled?”
His determination became a symbol of perseverance in the face of seemingly impossible obstacles.
Years later, villagers in the Taihang Mountains of northern China demonstrated that same kind of determination. A massive mountain stood between their village and the outside world. For years, villagers climbed more than two thousand steps up a nearly vertical mountain pass, then risked their lives along a narrow cliffside path before finally reaching the other side.
They decided to change their circumstances.
Using simple hand tools, they spent fifteen years carving a mile-long road through the mountain. When the road was completed in 2000, farmers could transport their agricultural products to market, tourists could reach their village, and future generations were given opportunities their ancestors had never known.
One shovel at a time. One day at a time. One step at a time.
Perhaps you are facing a mountain of your own.
Caleb understood what it meant to face an obstacle that stood between him and God’s promise. He waited forty-five years before claiming his inheritance in the Promised Land. At eighty-five, he didn’t ask for an easier assignment. He declared, “Give me this mountain” (Joshua 14:12).
Caleb’s faith had not grown weaker with time. It had grown stronger.
Jesus told His disciples, “If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20, ESV).
Sometimes faith means believing God can move the mountain.
Sometimes faith means picking up the shovel.
Sometimes it means taking the next step when you cannot see how the journey will end.
Faith does not always make the mountain disappear immediately. But faith gives us the courage to keep moving forward, trusting the One who stands higher than the mountain.
And our hope reaches even beyond the mountains we face today. Scripture tells us that Jesus will return, and His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4; Acts 1:9–12). When He comes, even the mountain will move.
What an assurance!
The God who spoke mountains into existence is not intimidated by the ones standing in our way. No obstacle is greater than His power. No delay is longer than His faithfulness. No mountain is too high for His hand.
So keep believing.
Keep praying.
Keep taking the next step.
And when all you can do is pick up one shovel and move one small piece of the mountain, do it in faith.
Nothing is too hard for the Lord.
TODAY’S MORE TO LIFE MOMENT
What mountain are you facing today? Instead of focusing on its size, ask God to show you your next faithful step. You may not be able to move the entire mountain today, but you can pray, obey, persevere, and trust God with what you cannot change.
Reflection: Where do you need to exchange discouragement for faith and take the next step forward?
Prayer
Lord, You know every mountain standing before me. When the obstacles seem too large, and the journey seems too long, remind me that nothing is too hard for You. Give me Caleb’s courage to believe Your promises and the perseverance to keep moving forward. Help me trust You when I cannot see the other side. Teach me to take each step in faith, knowing that You are greater than anything I will ever face. And when I cannot move the mountain myself, help me rest in the One who can.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
