This Is How I Roll
“As you surrender your life to God, remember that you are not in charge of the outcome...He is. You can rest assured that as you live your life as He asks you to, the results will be in His hands and used for His glory” (Life Balance For Christians: It’s Not What You Think, Williams and Swigle, 2020).
Have you ever been on a great bike ride? There always seems to be that exhilarating hill where you can let loose and cruise down with a big smile on your face. But there are usually some uphill battles along the way as well, where you have to pedal as hard as you can to get going.
Wheels are key parts of bikes that allow you to enjoy your ride, but a flat tire can ruin the day. Imagine a very bent wheel where some spokes are broken or shorter than others. You would not only have a bumpy ride, but it would be tough to get anywhere at all. The wheels need to be round, strong, and the right size. Even if you have strong and round wheels, if they are too small, you are going to be pedaling extremely hard to get anywhere.
Using the wheels of a bicycle as an analogy for the components of our lives, Coach Brian and I wrote a book. We used the commonly known wheel of life assessment but tweaked it a little. What if we took the parts of a Christian life (spiritual, mental, physical, family, relationships, career, finances and recreation) and placed them on a wheel and assessed how we were doing in those areas on a scale of 1-10? We also made another small adjustment. As we scored our wheels, we asked the question, “How surrendered to God is this area of my wheel?” For example, if our finances or physical health cause a "flat tire," or keep us "spinning," we won’t get very far or enjoy the ride. Ultimately, we want to live our lives balanced in God's way, seeking Him for ways to maximize our ride.
As I (Kathy) assessed my life using a surrender wheel, there were some over- and under-inflated parts causing a less than enjoyable ride of life. Because of that, I took some time to sit with Jesus and set some goals to become more balanced. After a few bumpy starts, I can say that I am now more aligned, surrendered, and living the way God wants. I wouldn’t say I am cruising, but I am making headway. I encourage you to take some time and surrender all the areas of your life to God.
We never really know all of the places God will take us during this crazy ride called life, but He promises to be with us. He also promises that He has good plans for our future. His intent is to help us live our lives surrendered to Him and help us be more balanced. Trust Him for the most adventurous ride of your life. You were created to change the world.
