Mountain or Molehill? The Power of Perspective
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Jessica Breazeale
Have you ever found yourself standing at the base of a mountain, feeling like the journey ahead is insurmountable?
Or maybe you’ve looked at a steep slope and thought, “This could be a thrilling ride down.” It all depends on perspective.
Let’s start with the mountain. For some, it’s a treacherous climb—a series of obstacles demanding strength, gear, and perseverance. Yet, from a different vantage, that same mountain could look like a joyful slope, full of adventure. It’s not the size of the challenge alone—it’s how we choose to see it.
Now, on the flip side, we have the humble molehill. I’ve never really encountered one in person, but I imagine it as a tiny, almost forgettable bump on the ground. Some walk right over it, unaware, while others fixate, letting their minds spiral: “Why is this molehill here? What do I do about it?” Who told that mole it could set up shop on my property? Who does that mole think he is? How can I get rid of him?
In short, a molehill to one person can become a mountain to another.
So, I ask you: which one are you?
Do you make mountains out of molehills?
To put this in perspective, each year, fewer than 10 climbers die while climbing Mount Everest.
In stark contrast, the World Health Organization reports that cardiovascular diseases cause about 19.8 million deaths globally each year, roughly 32 percent of all deaths. While stress isn’t the sole cause, it is a major contributor to these fatalities.
The movie we all know and love, Forrest Gump, had lots of famous quotes. As we all know, in the movie, Forrest often quoted his mama. I find myself doing the same thing now. My mama always said to “choose my battles”. In other words, not everything is a mountain…not everything can be – unless we want to find an early grave.
The mountains in our lives need to be scarce because it takes quite a bit of preparation to be able to accomplish that feat. If it were truly a mountain journey, we’d need proper gear and equipment, good health, a solid state of mind, and even then…we would experience unforeseen challenges along the way. For this reason, we need to “save our battles” as my mama would say. Save those up. Those require a great amount of physical, mental, psychological, and emotional strength. Those need to be available when we really need them.
When you face your next small challenge, pause and consider: is this a mountain, or is it a molehill? And remember, just because you see something as a mountain, doesn’t mean those around you see it that way.
And just because you see something as a molehill, it might be a mountain to someone else.
I challenge you—pause and "SELAH," reflect on the Lord, and let Him show you if this is indeed a mountain - or really just a molehill.
So, I ask you: when the time comes, would you rather risk a rare adventure, or let daily stress quietly take your life? Pause, reflect, and choose peace. I’d love to hear your stories—share in the comments: when was a time you chose to pause, reflect, and choose your battle wisely?
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