I don't know what 2008 was like for you. It may have been a year full of growth in your relationships, promotions at work, and victories in your spiritual life.
Or maybe it wasn't.
2008 could have been a year full of difficulties and challenges. If so, what was your greatest challenge of 2008? Was it a relationship challenge? A family issue? A financial hardship? A health problem? Or even a spiritual struggle?
Every challenge I go through seems to have a spiritual component. At some point during that difficult experience, I'm usually confronted with a crisis of faith. At a very basic level, I'm challenged to trust God. It sounds so simple. Shouldn't I have this figured out by now? But just because it's simple, doesn't mean it's easy. Sometimes it's hard to trust.
For my 5 year-old son Caleb, his greatest challenge of 2008 was learning to ride his bicycle without training wheels. This was not an ability issue. It was a trust issue. He was able, but he didn't know he was able. Even though I was running alongside him and calling out, "Keep pedaling hard! Don't stop!" he had a hard time believing that he could ride on two wheels.
I tried to remind him of the laws of physics, that if he slows down he's more likely to fall. Yet, for some reason, it's hard to reason with him when his emotions are telling him that he's about to kiss the grass. As Bill Gillham would say, he was listening to his "feeler" and not his "thinker."
Caleb has learned that falling isn't fun. He's already had his share of cuts, bruises, and ER visits. Memories of those falls are already etched in his mind. I tell him that a few little falls will be worth it when he learns to ride, but all he can think about is what his emotions are telling him:
Falling hurts.
Can I be candid with you? I'm afraid of falling too. My family is depending on me to stay upright. I don't want to let them down. The Gillhams and the board of directors have entrusted me with the responsibility of making sure we fulfill our mission. If I fall, it would be really bad. I don't want to fall. Falling is painful. The answer to my fear of failure is the same as my son's fear of falling off his bike. The answer is trust. The answer is faith. Hebrews 11:1 echoes in my head, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." For me, wanting to succeed as a father and as the director of Lifetime Guarantee definitely fall into this category of "things hoped for." For Caleb, riding without training wheels fits into this category.
Trust will always be a major deciding factor in the course of my life (and yours). It's the difference between abundant living and just existing. Believing that Jesus Christ lived, died for our sin, and rose again is the starting point of faith, but there's more to it. Trusting that His indwellling, empowering Spirit is keeping us walking upright (Gal. 5:25) is where the challenge of trust hits home.
Falling is inevitable. We all fall. Proverbs 24:16 says, "For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again..." As the saying goes, "Failure isn't fatal." Believing that Christ is the source of our strength is what gives us the courage to keep pedaling hard despite our fears of falling.
So don't be afraid of falling.
After our first two training-wheel-ditching experiences ended with tears and tantrums, Caleb didn't give up. He is now on the road to being a great bike rider.
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Psalm 41:10
So, when your next challenge calls for trust, don't listen to your fear. Listen to God. Trust him. He will strengthen you and uphold you with his righteous right hand. You may fall a time or two, but He will help you get back on the bike.
Pedal on,
P.S. We have a new mailing address! I wanted to let you know that our office has moved. In this brave new world of web-commuting, our need for office space has diminished. We're still in Fort Worth. In fact, we're just walking distance from our former office. Take note of our new address, and we'd love for you to give us a call and drop by for a visit at 6300 Ridglea Place Suite 908, Fort Worth, Texas 76116.
