I love riding hills.  It’s true.  There are actually a set of hills that I can train on if I am looking for an extra challenge in my down time.  It wasn’t always like that however.  I remember thinking that hills were the worst thing in the world and I hated them.  And then I learned how to take them.

For the longest time, as I would pedal, I would take all of the energy that I had in my body and try to tackle the hill with my legs, back, shoulders and arms.  It was quite painful by the time that I got done.  I would get home and my neck and shoulders would be a mess and I felt like I just wasn’t doing something right.  I wasn’t.

I recall one day on my way home I was at the base of a decent sized hill that I climb daily and it occurred to me that my posture wasn’t correct.  Instead of utilizing my neck, shoulders, back and legs I needed to focus on my core.  That’s when it all changed.  When my core was engaged it drove my legs, my shoulders stayed relaxed and I didn’t arrive at home with neck pain!

How often do we find ourselves climbing these hills in our spiritual walk?  I think sometimes we don’t even realize that we are in the midst of climbing a hill until we are about half way up, realize that it’s getting harder and harder to climb and we have to shift down in order to make it to the top.

In the midst of the climb we realize that we are using every part of ourselves that we can in order to make it but we are forgetting 1 thing; to engage our core.  My question to you is this!  What is at your core?  Who is at your core?  Are you taking on this hill with frustration, anger, hurt and confusion at your core?  Well, more than likely you will face a greater battle to get to the top.

It’s not because those things are necessarily bad but it’s because in the midst of great battle it’s as though they have this crazy ability to rob us of the joy, passion, determination and victory that comes from climbing the hill!  When I am climbing on my bike, I try and at least smile and I can tell you whenI am climbing in life, or walking along side someone who is I will always try and be the optimist.

The battles that we face in life are against the enemy and sometimes multiple things of this world that seem to press back against us during the climb.

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”
Psalm 46:1

I will be the first to admit that when the hills of life come I want to take them on with every part of me that I can and try to decipher them, solve the problem, fix the issue, overcome the “hill” on my own but as soon as I allow whatever the hill might be to rob me of my joy it also robs me of the energy and stamina to make it to the top.

“In my desperation I prayer, and the Lord listened;
he saved me form all my troubles.”
Psalm 34:6