The joys of hills

As I mentioned in my last post, we had an eight mile climb at the start of our ride this morning. During this climb I was thinking about how much I love hills. No matter how long or steep a hill may be... just knowing there is a downhill on the other side is so rewarding. The reward for a difficult climb is the thrill of the downhill. I also like the challenge of climbing up the hill as it makes a ride much  more interesting. Last fall I did two century bike rides. One was full of rolling hills and great climbs. The other was almost completely flat. Without question I loved the hillier ride. The hills provide challenges and changes up the ride instead of the monotony of a flat ride.


God reminded me of how much life is like the hills I love to climb. No matter what challenge or trial we face in life if we remember that there is an end, what a difference of a perspective we have. When all I see is the struggle I am in I get very discouraged. If I thought there was no end to the hill I was climbing I would give up. Yet, just as there is an end to the uphill climb (even if I can't see it at the moment) there is also an end to our struggles. 


The challenge of course is not knowing when the end will come. And we are not always guaranteed an end in this lifetime. Yet the Bible tells us that our life is like a vapor. While life can seem long and difficult, in light of eternity our time on earth is like a mist. So quickly over.


"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14


 I love the encouragement I Peter has about the hope we have in Christ. This can be our perspective as we face trials.


 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.


I do not say any of this lightly as I have friends who are undergoing trials and struggles unlike anything I can imagine. Yet I do know that we have an eternal hope in Christ Jesus. What a difference of perspective- what true hope we can find in Him.


During the climb, I stopped at mile 3 to turn around and took a quick picture of the view behind me. I still had a lot of climbing to do but I was encouraged by the great view behind me and seeing how far I had already come. 


How important it is to look back and remember how far God has brought us. The victories He has given us. How we have seen Him at work in our lives. We need to stop and remember in the midst of a struggle or trial. Yes, you may not be out of the challenge you are facing but take time to look back and remember God's goodness!


One last thought. Just as the hills make a ride more interesting, challenges in our life has a similar purpose. Not to make life interesting but to draw us closer to God. Without struggles and challenges we can easily forget God or feel like we do not need Him. It is often during a challenging season of our lives that we cling to Him as never before. We feel His Presence in a deeper way. Our hearts are open to Him speaking to us. His word and promises become our lifeline. I know for my life, the challenges and struggles I have walked through have allowed me to know and experience God in such a deeper way. How God wants to use the challenges you are in to draw you closer into His loving Presence. 


I don't always know why we face the struggles and challenges that are here on this earth but I do know that God is good. He longs to sustain us and for us to know more of Him. And one day soon, if Christ is our Lord and Savior, we have a glorious eternal hope of seeing our Savior face to face. Every tear and every struggle will fall away when we are in the glorious presence of the Lord and lords and King of kings. Our risen Savior.