I’ve been biking every morning (ish) for the last couple weeks and I’ve appreciated the magic of gear shifting to accommodate different elevations in the path as I go.
I first learned, or tried to learn about gear shifting when I was a young lass of about 12 years of age. My bike at the time only had the one speed, so I was mystified by what it meant for a bike to have 10-speeds. A neighbor boy, Evan, labored to explain it to me. He was a few years older than I and had dimples, so of course I had a crush on him. Unfortunately, his explanation didn’t make any sense to me, which I had to admit when he asked if I’d understood. “Are you really that stupid?” he said, frustrated that his elegant explanation had not borne fruit. I’d like to be able to tell you that his dimples held less attraction for me after that rude comment, but girls are girls. Probably the only thing I really learned was not to admit it when I didn’t understand something. Too bad.
But now I get it. My bike has 18 speeds and the gear shift controls are really easy to use.
When I’m headed downhill, I shift up to take advantage of the ease of pedaling and to gain better momentum when the path starts to go back uphill. When I’m approaching an intersection, I downshift, so that if I have to stop, I can get going again easily. Frequent gear-shifting enables me to keep my pace more or less consistent as I go. However, I’ve realized that in order for me to gain strength in my legs for the uphill parts of the route, I have to challenge myself to ride them at increasingly higher speeds. If you’ve ever tried to go uphill at a low speed, you realize how frustrating it is. The pedaling is easier but it takes 2-3 times more revolutions of the wheels to get to the top.
So the question on all of your minds is, “Why is she boring us with all of this?” It’s a good question and I applaud you for your discernment. I’ve been thinking lately about how much this whole business of biking and gear-shifting is an apt metaphor for life and sanctification, particularly as I get older. I’d really prefer my life to be easy and if it were up to me, I would never put any hills in the terrain of my life. And if hills had to come, I’d prefer to make it as easy as possible to get up them.
God’s grace is better than that. He wants to make me more like Jesus, and for that I need to share in the fellowship of His sufferings. God brings me the afflictions and trials I need, in just the amount of difficulty I need. The hills may sometimes be steep, but His grace allows me to shift gears, not to make it easy, but to make it possible to get to the top and build strength of faith along the way.
And then, that glorious downhill sprint! How thankful I am that life is not always an uphill battle.
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 1 Peter 5:10
I’ll probably delete this in the morning while shifting gears.
Lynniebeemuseoday 