Mountain Top Experiences
Mountain top experiences are associated with moments of spiritual clarity, revelation, and transformation. The Transfiguration of Mark 9: 2–10, was a profound mountain top experience, for Peter, James and John, revealing the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ in a way they had never seen before.
Similarly, in our own spiritual lives, mountain top experiences can refer to moments of profound encounter with God, where we experience a heightened sense of his presence, clarity of vision, and transformation of heart. These experiences can occur during times of prayer, worship, retreats, or other spiritual practices, and they often leave a lasting impact, deepening our faith and understanding of God.
Our mountain top experiences can inspire us to grow closer to God, strengthen our commitment to following Christ, and empower us to live out our faith more fully in the world. They are moments of encouragement and renewal along the way of faith.
We cannot manufacture or control mountain top experiences but there are practices and attitudes that can create fertile ground for such experiences to occur:
Regular Prayer and Meditation: Engaging in regular prayer and meditation opens us up to the possibility of encountering God in intense ways. By setting aside dedicated time for quiet reflection and communion with the Holy Spirit, we create space for spiritual insights and revelations to emerge.
I had a mountain top experience at a Life in The Spirit Seminar. On the final evening, when the leaders prayed and laid hands on me, I experienced deep powerful sensations that literally shook me, I started to ‘speak in tongues’ and had a vision, that my mother later explained was from my early childhood. This experience took place in 1985 yet still remains vivid in my memory today. It was a turning point in my life.
Participation in Spiritual Retreats: Retreats provide opportunities for intentional withdrawal from the busyness of daily life to focus on prayer, reflection, and spiritual growth. These immersive experiences often lead to moments of deep encounter with God and can serve as mountain top experiences. I had moutain top experiences at our original Marriage Encounter weekend and many years later, at a silent retreat overlooking the Caribbean sea. These experiences changed the course of my life.
Engagement with Scripture: Delving deeply into the Word of God can lead to moments of illumination and understanding, akin to the disciples' experience on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). Through study, reflection, and meditation on Scripture, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's Word. So often while practicing Lectio Divina, a method of interpreting the Bible, I have had profound insights on my life, that can truly be described as mountain top experiences.
While we cannot guarantee when or how mountain top experiences will occur, cultivating these practices and attitudes can help us create conditions conducive to encountering God in profound and meaningful ways. I encourage you my readers to avail yourself to these practices and hopefully you will have mountain top experiences that will provide clarity to your life’s purpose.
Ultimately, it is God who initiates and orchestrates these moments of spiritual revelation and transformation according to his perfect timing and will. But opening ourselves to his action can certainly facilitate the occurence of mountain top experiences.