The Best View Comes After the Hardest Climb – Why the Struggle is Always Worth It by Jared Harding Wilson

by Jared Harding Wilson

Hey friends,

You’ve probably seen this quote floating around Pinterest, Instagram reels, or plastered on someone’s hiking water bottle:

“The best view comes after the hardest climb.”

Google says millions of people search for it every single month. I get why. There’s something about that line that hits you right in the chest—especially when you’re standing at the trailhead of Mount Timpanogos at 4 a.m. wondering why on earth you thought this was a good idea.

I’ve been there. Legs burning, lungs screaming, questioning every life choice that led me to that switchback. But then you break through the trees, the valley opens up beneath you, the sun hits the peaks just right, and… yeah. Best view ever. Every single time.

Life feels exactly like that sometimes, doesn’t it? The hardest climbs aren’t always on a mountain. Sometimes they’re hospital hallways, lonely nights, messy relationships, or seasons when faith feels more like clinging to a rock face than walking on solid ground.

But here’s what I’ve learned standing on actual summits and in the middle of actual storms: the view—the growth, the peace, the deeper relationship with God—only comes after we’re willing to do the hard thing.

President Russell M. Nelson said something a few years ago that I can’t ever get out of my head:

“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on Jesus Christ and His gospel, we can feel joy regardless of what is happening—or not happening—in our lives.”

(“Joy and Spiritual Survival,” October 2016)

That’s the real “best view.” Not just a pretty sunrise over Utah Valley (though those are amazing), but the crystal-clear perspective that comes when we’ve climbed through something hard while keeping our eyes on the Savior. Suddenly we can see how far we’ve actually come. We see the people who walked with us. We see the hand of God in every foothold.

So if you’re in the middle of a climb right now—whether it’s grief, extreme loss of everything, doubt, divorce, depression, or just a week that feels too heavy—keep going. One more step. One more prayer. One more sunrise.

The view is coming.

And I promise it’s going to be breathtaking.

What’s the hardest climb you’ve ever done—on a trail or in life—and what did you see when you finally reached the top? Drop it in the comments. I read every single one, and we all need the encouragement.

Keep climbing, friends.

You’ve got this—and He’s got you.

Jared

Photo by Jared Harding Wilson. All rights reserved.