Learning to Ride the Spiritual Bike

We’re reflecting on Peter’s bold attempt to walk on water.  In this week’s video we liken this to riding a bike.

Do you remember learning to ride a bike?

For *some* of us that was quite a while ago.

Steve remembers learning to ride on the driveway of the house in Newtown CT where he grew up.

You must understand, it was fairly long and very steep driveway.  Steeeeeeep.  And it was very narrow.  To avoid having to back out of the driveway there was one small, level “landing” area for a car to turn around in.  It was the only part of the driveway that was relatively flat.  But the ground along the side of it immediately dropped off precipitously. 

Most of the driveway was lined with rocks.  Large, sharp rocks.

And at the bottom of the driveway was a churning river loaded with piranha.

Ok – that last bit might not be entirely accurate.  But the road Steve lived on was narrow and windy, and  was also a “cut through” between two major roads - so people would speed down it trying to save time on their commute.  At rush hour, a piranha-filled river was probably safer.

There Steve was with his first “big boy” bike – at the top of the driveway.  It was a “huffy” dirt bike, by the way, for those who remember them. 

You might be thinking to yourself, “what sort of parents would have their kid learn to ride a bike on that kind of driveway?  Why didn’t they just put the bike in the trunk and drive to a nice flat, spacious parking lot????”

If you open your window and cock your ear toward central Maryland you’ll hear Karen belly laughing at such an absurd question.  Having married into the Smith family she’s learned firsthand that if there is a difficult, arduous and potentially life-threatening way to do something – well, that’s the way for the Smiths.

But even if you didn’t learn to ride a bike on a steep, narrow, rock-lined driveway, it probably wasn’t easy those first few times.

And no matter how many times your dad, or whoever, told you to just keep pedaling and keep the handlebars straight, the first few times (or more) were disastrous.

That’s just how it is.  Imagine if you had never ridden a bike before, but you watched hours of YouTube videos on how to do it.  Do you think you could just hop on a bike and go?  …  Exactly.  You can’t just *think* about riding a bike.   You must *experience* it yourself - the feel of how to balance the bike and how forwarded momentum is the key (actually it’s the centrifugal force of the tires…).

And so it is in the spiritual life. 

People can tell us until they’re blue in the face that we must “trust in Jesus” and that “God has a plan” and that “everything will work out” – and that’s all true.  BUT – we must struggle with trials and experience it for ourselves for it to migrate from our head to our heart.

There’s no single way that this happens.  The important thing is that when we’re in the midst of a trial that feels hopeless, we make the choice to trust in God.  There are a million different ways and circumstances in which we might be called to act that out - all that matters is that we do.  “Lord I can’t sense you being present with me right now and I can’t see how good will come of this, but I will take this next step, trusting in you…”

In the moment it doesn’t feel like we’re in His presence.   Just like a little kid making their first turns on the pedals doesn’t “feel” like they’re in command of the bike.

But the parent watching knows their child is headed for success.   And so too, when we trust in God even though we’re uncertain of His presence – the same God who says, “I have plans for your success” (Jer 29:11) is pleased.

Blessings on your journey with Christ –

Steve and Karen Smith

Interior Life

Postscript:  Matthew 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.  When it was evening he was there alone.

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.  During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea.

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.  "It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear.  At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."  Peter said to him in reply, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."  He said, "Come."

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, "Truly, you are the Son of God."