Have you ever been faced with an unexpected challenge?
I know the answer is to that question is yes. (If it isn’t, let’s have a chat. Either you worry about absolutely everything under the sun so that nothing comes as a surprise, or you’re incredibly connected to God and you’re clued in on everything that life has coming for you. In either case, we need to have a conversation.) Life presents unexpected challenges often. There are many times in life where challenges can sneak up and catch us unaware.
Not too long ago, we were faced with an unexpected challenge on a bicycle ride. We had decided to go on a 10-mile ride on the Westmoreland Heritage Trail, one we had ridden in the past, but this time we chose a new section of the trail. Taking off out of Saltsburg, PA, we planned on heading east along the Conemaugh River for five miles, turn around at that point, and take the same path home. We figured this would make for a nice afternoon, and it would allow for us to do something fun while seeing some new sites.
Right away the trail was beautiful. It was wide, it was flat, it was scenic. The trail was everything that you could ask for on a hot summer day…cool, flat, comfortable, and shaded.
For three miles, we rode along in relative bliss. Sure, we were exercising and it wasn’t completely easy, but it was enjoyable. We would stop occasionally to look for a geocache (small containers that people hide…sometimes holding little treasures. We find them through a geocaching app on our phone.). We’d pause here and there to get a drink of water. Once, we stopped and checked out a rope swing, noting that we’d like to return at another point and give it a try. It was great. For three miles.
Then, the trail changed.
Somewhere after three miles, the trail turned away from the river, and when it did, it became a lot more challenging. Gone was the wide, smooth path. Gone was the sound of the river running next to us. Gone was the light breeze that had been cooling us. Gone was the “flat.” Instead, we were met with an unexpected challenge. If we wanted to reach our overall goal of ten miles, we had to go two more miles out on a narrower trail that seemed to slope upwards into eternity.
Granted, it wasn’t some undoable ascent, it wasn’t some extremely steep mountain, but for us occasional bicycle riders, it was challenging. Not only that, it was unexpected.
We had thought that the path would continue on as it started. Nice and easy, no big issues. We thought we’d ride a relatively flat trail out 5 miles, turn around and ride a relatively flat trail 5 miles back. But, that isn’t what happened. The trail changed. After three miles it took a turn that was much harder in all kinds of ways. The terrain was worse, the temperature was worse. The incline was worse. Nearly everything about this section of the trail was harder and more difficult than the previous portion.
At this point, we had a decision. Continue on towards are goal, or turn around.
In general, we’re not easily dissuaded. We had set out to do 10-miles, and it was going to take more than just a change of trail type for us to change our minds. We pressed on towards our goal.
It wasn’t easy.
There would be breaks in the incline, but it certainly felt like we were climbing uphill on our bicycles for the next two miles. The breeze had stopped. The comfort had stopped. The need for water breaks increased. Our legs got tired, but we kept pumping. We kept pedaling to reach the goal. We kept pushing forward.
Finally, after a good deal of effort, we reached our goal. We had traveled for five miles from our car. It was time to turn around.
Now, there wasn’t anything spectacular that occurred at that point. There was no great monument to see at that particular section. There was no swimming hole for us to reach, no ice cream stand that we were trying to make. Still, there was satisfaction. There was satisfaction in knowing that we succeeded in what we set out to do, and there was satisfaction in knowing that we had overcome this unexpected obstacle. We had pushed through. We made it. There was accomplishment in that.
But do you know what was the best part?
The next two miles after we turned around.
The downhill coast.
It was glorious. We just had to steer and pedal every once and a while. Otherwise, gravity and the slope of the decline took care of the bulk of the work. For almost two miles, we could coast downhill, laughing and having fun, enjoying the ride.
When we were finished for the day and we talked about the best part of our bike ride, guess what was everyone’s favorite section? That downhill coast. Guess what we never would have experienced if we would have quit earlier? That downhill coast. If we had stopped earlier, we never would have had the joy of riding back down.
Sometimes, in life, we get caught off guard by unexpected challenges, and we think that life will continue on that way forever, or that we have to stop right there and turn around. Sometimes, we forget (or at least I forget) that an “enjoyable” part might be coming up right after the challenge is completed. Sometimes, we forget (or at least I forget) that downhill coasts most often follow uphill climbs.
In a devotional that was shared a few weeks ago, Christa reminded us of the passage in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that points to the seasonal nature of things as well as there being a time for every purpose under heaven. I encourage you to read that one if you haven’t.
Though I do not wish to rehash that material, I do want for us to be reminded that there are times of uphill climbs, and times of downhill coasts. Sometimes, the downhill coast will come sooner than we think. Sometimes the downhill coast is just a couple more pedals away from where we are currently. Sometimes, if we just keep pushing for just a little longer, we will get to that next period, that next, season, that next instance of rest.
I also want for us to remember a passage found in Isaiah.
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
~Isaiah 40:3-5
Yet another reminder…this life will present challenges. This life will present battles. This life will present struggles and difficulties, most of which are much, much harder than riding a couple miles up a hill on a bicycle. Nevertheless, there is a time that is coming where those challenges will end. There is a time coming when the difficulties of life will be over. There is a time coming when the valleys will be raised, when the mountains will be made low. The rough ground will become level. The rugged places a plain. The time is coming.
In fact, it has already come.
We know that John the Baptist was this voice who is calling to prepare the way of the Lord (John 1:23). We know that Jesus is the One for Whom the path was prepared. We also know that Jesus has defeated death, has overcome sin, has risen victorious, and has offered life everlasting for those who believe in Him (John 3:16).
So, friend, when an unexpected hill climb comes along you path, don’t fret. Don’t fear. Don’t quit. Instead, know that the Lord will continue to journey with you, that God will give you the strength. Also, always know that a downhill coast awaits. The best part of the ride is always in front of you. As Isaiah reminds us, someday the glory of the Lord will be revealed, all people will see it together. We will one day go and meet Jesus. We will one day see Him face-to-face. Every tear will be wiped from our eyes. Every pain will be healed, every heartache mended. Every defeat will be forgotten and we will consider our new life in Christ to be worth every bit of suffering that was endured, every hill that was ever climbed.
~ Pastor Chris
