preflight jitters...
Posted by mike in Ky , Monday, May 17, 2010 8:40 AM
This is always the time of getting ready for a big summer of biking that I get a little unnerved and have a hard time focusing. One of the biggest problems for me is negative self talk and the chatter in my head that seems to ramp up as the time for leaving nears. I find that an incessant stream of doubt still runs through all that I do despite my knowing that God is completely in charge of everything. I know from past experience with the RideWell bike tour in 2008 that everything always works out...sometimes in the most phenomenal and unexpected ways. This time will be no different. It's just that it is sometimes easy for me to have my understanding and attention diverted from that truth. That is a trick that the devil uses to rob us of our joy and draw attention away from how awesome God is in His provision and blessings that will come on this bike tour. It is a reminder of how easy it is, if we turn our eyes away from Him for even a moment, to try to do something on our own power. It is more than obvious to me that trying to "make something happen" usually has very marginal success, if any at all. But...it becomes complicated because it calls into full view our faith and our utter dependence on God. That is what He wants. Our complete faith and utter dependence goes hand in glove with our obedience. It is certainly hard to believe in something if you do not step out in absolute faith and put it into action. You may believe that you can walk on water...especially if Jesus is telling you...but unless you step out of the boat you might always wonder if you really could have, right? This bike ride will challenge that concept every single day of the tour. It is an act of faith in the simplest form to just get on a bicycle and believe you will ride from point a to point b. But in the obedience of doing it and completely surrendering your every fear of failure, God rewards you with being blessed and more importantly being a blessing and a witness to others. This is what we are called to do, really. Love God...Love others... and tell this amazing story of the redemption and transformation that comes by a simple thing like riding bikes and serving others. Loving others that we don't know...that we may never see...that are oppressed...that are enslaved...that have no voice...that have given up...that have lost hope. I completely lose my fear and doubts in my physical and mental abilities when I allow myself to stop for a minute to consider that God empowers me for this trip. That is the bottom line...I am empowered by God in a way that ensures even on the hardest day I will make it...
" The Lord himself goes befor you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" Deuteronomy 31:8
Needed to read this today. Amazing stuff. Glad we get to do his together (kinda!)