It is said that among mountain climbers these days, ice climbing is in full swing. These climbers seek out steep and dangerous frozen waterfalls or valleys, scaling icy cliffs while enduring severe weather, snow, and slippery terrain. With their lives hanging on a single rope, they drive their axes into walls of ice, relishing the intense thrill of the climb. A single misstep could send sharp chunks of ice crashing down, or a crack in the frozen surface could collapse beneath them, sending a climber’s foot suddenly into empty space. Even though fatalities are not uncommon in such extreme situations, people continue to savor the challenge of winter mountaineering. If someone like us—who has never truly tasted the challenge and fulfillment of ice climbing—asks why they would go through such suffering on purpose, they would likely respond, “Don’t ask until you’ve tried it.”

On December 12, 1995, Huh Young-Ho, a Korean climber, stood atop Vinson Massif (5,140m), the highest peak in Antarctica, a land still breathing the ancient breath of the earth. Planting the Korean flag he carried in his heart, he savored the joy of conquest on that frozen ground. Born in 1954, he began climbing at age sixteen and gained international attention in 1982 when he summited Makalu (8,463m), the world’s fifth highest mountain. His spiritual, almost monastic approach to mountaineering marked him as a unique figure. Ultimately, he became the first in the world to conquer the Three Poles (the North Pole, the South Pole, and Mount Everest) and all Seven Summits (the highest mountains on each continent)—a feat that made Koreans immensely proud.

I thought about the ice-covered mountains he climbed, the brutal cold, the days he wandered aimlessly from one mountain to another, disoriented, dragging legs numbed by exhaustion and frostbite. I thought about the danger of blizzards, the loneliness, hunger, regret, fear, and battles with the self. In his words, “Don’t ask why I strive to climb to such great heights…,” we glimpse the instinctive human drive toward the unknown. His journey into the ancient void is surely one of humanity’s greatest endeavors.

A few weeks ago, our city was paralyzed by a sudden avalanche of snow, reminding us of just how fragile and powerless humans are before nature. Yet the human impulse to conquer nature continues in every corner of the world. Even when people have food, shelter, and comfort, they remain unsatisfied. No one, no matter how secure, can truthfully say they possess complete happiness. Such a claim would still fall short—an immature illusion. True human fulfillment and joy are won slowly, through a lifetime of hardship and adversity. Whether it’s rock climbing, bungee jumping, ice climbing, or hang-gliding, these extreme sports provide a sense of conquest and challenge, a taste of personal triumph. Because of this hunger to face new worlds, we live lives enriched by accomplishment. As long as human history continues, so too will the challenges toward the unknown.

In the same way we challenge nature, the pursuit of truth and eternity is a difficult and demanding journey. And especially when walking toward a summit we cannot see with our eyes, we come to realize—moment by moment—that without the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot advance even a single step. The fierce winds of life and the gentle breezes that tempt our weary bodies into slumber both work to stall or stop our steps.

The Bible tells us that God created humankind and placed in our hearts a longing for eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Those who yearn for eternity and climb the mountain of faith with the rope of prayer each day are already victors through faith. Those who have tasted the freedom, joy, and peace that come from truth never give up the climb toward that summit, even unto death. Until they reach the summit of truth, rest is never an option.

I too have had times of falling, stumbling, and suffering from fear and pain. I don’t know how many more moments of discouragement I may face, how many times I’ll want to give up the climb. But my summit—my destination—is clear, and so I cannot hesitate. Before the sun sets, before my body becomes too weak, I must press on across the rugged mountain ranges ahead. I cannot abandon the climb.

Even today, people travel to the ends of the earth or risk their lives on ice cliffs in search of meaning and achievement. They pour all their life and energy into giving meaning to the life they pursue. Yet unless God grants us the eyes to truly see the value of what we chase, we cannot even recognize what has true meaning. As I engage in this inner battle toward eternity, I resolve once again—never to stop until the day I raise the banner of victory.