It’s Time to Climb the Mountain

Your pride is keeping you stuck.

The hardest climb isn’t on the outside—it’s the one happening in your heart.
This devotional challenges every Christian man to reject passivity, call on the Holy Spirit, and lead from a place of transformation and intimacy. Perfect for men seeking clarity, Christian leadership, and daily strength.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (ESV)

Ever feel like someone completely misunderstood your heart—and worse, blasted you for it? That happened to me this week. I was blindsided. A man, full of pride, assumptions, and accusations, came hard at me. Said I was acting prideful and without compassion. He was wrong. But he was loud.

And in that moment, the Holy Spirit told me to stay quiet.

As he poured out his anger, I prayed to myself. Not some fancy prayer. Just a quiet, desperate one: “Yeshua HaMashiach.” (Jesus the Messiah). Because I knew something deeper was going on. He didn’t know the full story. He didn’t understand what led to my choices. But pride doesn’t listen. It talks. It assumes. It attacks.

And if I’m being honest with you—I was hurt.

But I’ve learned something: when men hurt you, it’s easy to lash back, defend yourself, or walk away. But it takes a different kind of man—a Spirit-filled, mountain-climbing man—to press in, pray deeper, and let God transform him first.

That’s where this week took me. Prayer after prayer. Climbing, step by step. And as I kept praying, something changed—not in the other guy—but in me.

Men, hear me. If we want to lead, really lead, then the first thing we need isn’t strategy. It’s surrender. Surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. Because until that happens, we can’t see clearly. We can’t lead our families with Jesus’ vision. We can’t love our wives well. We can’t be the shepherds our homes need.

The Holy Spirit transforms us. That’s where the climb begins.

See, too many of us jump into trying to “fix” things or serve others when we haven’t even sat still long enough to let God work on us. We’re skipping the inward and upward so we can get straight to the outward. But that’s backwards.

It starts with transformation. The inward call for the Holy Spirit to work in us.

Then comes intimacy with Jesus.

Only then are we ready to serve others.

That’s why Luke 10:27 isn’t just a nice verse to quote. It’s the order of operations for a man of God: Love God. Love others. Serve God. Serve others. But it starts with loving God. And if you’re not being changed by that love daily—if your inner life is untouched—you’re just a loud man trying to lead in the dark.

This week, I had to confront the pain of being falsely accused. Of being misunderstood. Of being unheard. But instead of fighting for my side, I prayed. I let the Spirit do His work. And in that space, something shifted. God didn’t just comfort me. He corrected me. He reminded me that the road of leadership is steep. That the climb is real. That every challenge is a chance to go higher.

Here’s the thing. I never once called this situation a problem. I called it a challenge. Because I believe words matter. A problem sounds like something you can’t overcome. But a challenge? A challenge means you’ve got the gear. You’ve got training. And you’ve got someone climbing with you.

So I climbed. With every prayer, I took a step. Some days were hard. The air got thin. My legs were tired. But as I kept going, I started to sense the presence of Jesus walking with me—leading me, lifting me, helping me breathe.

That’s when the intimacy showed up. Not when I had all the answers. Not when I felt justified. But when I let the Spirit soften my heart. And that’s when I saw it. The top of the mountain. His vision. His perspective. His peace.

Men, it’s time to climb.

Put on your gear. Lay down your pride. Stop blaming others. Stop waiting for people to understand you. Start praying. Start listening. Let God change you from the inside. And when He does, you’ll love better. You’ll lead clearer. You’ll shepherd with His strength.

We don’t need more Christian men with opinions. We need more Christian men with transformed hearts.

Put on your gear, and lets climb.

Today’s “Shepherding in Action” Value
Inner Surrender — When a man lays down his pride and climbs toward God, he leads not from emotion but from transformation. That’s real shepherding.

Reflect / Apply / Share

1. Reflect – Where is pride holding you back from hearing God’s voice and climbing higher?
2. Apply – What’s one way you can call on the Holy Spirit today to start transforming you—before you speak, lead, or act?
3. Share – Who in your life needs to see a man respond to challenge with prayer and quiet strength this week?

Bible References (ESV)

Romans 8:28 — And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Luke 10:27 — And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Personal Prayer
Lord, help me stop defending myself and start depending on You. Transform me from the inside so I can lead with Your vision and love.

My Personal Journey & Engagement Call
These weekday reflections flow from my time in God’s Word. I invite you to join me and other Men of the Shepherd in building Christ-centered homes—leading, discipling, and serving like Jesus.
If these reflections encourage you, please like, share, and pass them on so more men can grow in their calling.
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