MOMENTUM & OBSTACLES
A Mountain Biking Devotional
Every mountain biker learns this truth the hard way: momentum is your friend, but only if you're heading in the right direction. Hit a rock garden with good speed and proper line choice? You'll float over those obstacles like they're not even there. But approach the same obstacles with poor momentum – either too slow or too fast in the wrong direction – and you're about to have a very personal meeting with the dirt.
The funny thing about mountain biking is that obstacles aren't always bad. That log across the trail? With enough momentum, it becomes a launch ramp. That steep climb? Momentum from the previous descent carries you up. But lose your momentum by hesitating or second-guessing every move, and suddenly a pebble becomes an insurmountable barrier.
We do the same thing in life. We start strong with good intentions – eating healthy, being kind, making time for what matters – but then we hit a few obstacles and slow down. Before we know it, we're stopped dead, staring at problems that seemed manageable when we had momentum.
Paul understood this when he wrote in Philippians 3:13-14: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal." But he wasn't just talking about grinding through – in Galatians 5:25 he adds, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." It's like having the perfect riding partner who knows exactly when to push the pace and when to coast.
Here's the kicker: momentum in following Jesus isn't about perfection. It's about direction. You can hit a tree, dust yourself off, and get back on the trail. The key is not camping out at the crash site.
This Week's Challenge: Pick one area where you've lost momentum in following Jesus – maybe prayer, kindness, or generosity. Don't try to fix everything at once. Just get back on the bike and start pedaling in the right direction again.
Questions for Reflection:
What obstacles tend to kill your momentum most quickly when you're trying to do the right thing?
Think of a time when you "crashed" while trying to follow Jesus (made a mistake, gave up on something good, etc.). How did you handle getting back up?
What would it look like to build momentum in one specific area of following Jesus this week, even if it's just a small start?
The trail keeps going. The question is whether you're still on your bike.