WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN – INSTALLMENT EIGHT

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN – INSTALLMENT EIGHT

     Another thing I learned during the biking experience is that God is in control.  Most of us believe that we are in control of our lives.  We’ve been taught such things as, “Pull yourself up by the bootstraps,” and other such helpful clichés.   I remember that in one Bible Study I did years ago, the author wrote about this subject.  She asked us to picture her sitting in the back seat of the car with a child’s steering wheel toy attached in front of her to the back of the passenger front seat.  As the car twisted and turned on a curvy road, she turned the wheel frantically, but the car seemed to go in the opposite direction.  She became nervous and upset because the steering wheel was not responding to her.  Then she looked up and saw that Jesus Christ was actually behind the wheel of the car and he was setting the course.

        Looking back now on the eighteen months of training and the three-day ride, I realize that I really had no control.  Sure, I forced myself to get on that bike each day and I’m the one who pedaled, but when one knows the whole story, one realizes that the Lord arranged everything – every lesson; every encouragement; every help. 

       God saw me through the process but it was a process.  I had to go through it, as miserable as it was during parts of it. I had to go through the valley to get to the mountain top experience.  It was a hot, dry valley and road the up the mountain was horrendous.  But there was joy and blessing all along the way.  All I had to do was take my eyes from myself and turn my focus to Jesus.  Do I hope that God will again tell me to ride in a 220 mile bike ride?  The answer is unequivocally NO!  Would I do it again if He asked me to do it? Unequivocally YES!  Would my attitude be better the next time around?  I would certainly hope so.  I would hope and pray that I would pray and hope for a change in attitude and that I would make myself more aware of His blessings each and every day.  I have learned that the words in Scripture that say, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13) are not just empty words to be said as a “mantra”.  In the past there were times when I faced what I thought was impossible and I repeated this Scripture over and over thinking that the mere repetition would give me the strength.  But first I have to believe those words before they will come true.  I now believe with all my heart because I learned firsthand that an aging, overweight woman who had no physical training since high school and who had bad knees could accomplish the seemingly impossible.  I did accomplish the bike ride but not in my own strength – in the strength of Him who gives me that strength to accomplish His will in my life. You too can accomplish anything through the power of the Holy Spirit who works in you for the Lord Jesus Christ to those who love and obey Him.