Keeping Spiritual Momentum
How Forward Motion and Trust in God Help Us Navigate Life's Challenges
Have you ever said "yes" to something without fully understanding what you were getting into? Maybe it was a new job, a relationship, or even your commitment to follow Jesus. Then reality sets in, and you discover it's much more challenging than you anticipated.
I want to share a story that perfectly illustrates this common life experience.
"Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."
—Jude 24
What Happens When You Take On More Than You Expected? A Mountain Biking Lesson
A few years ago, my wife and I took our mountain bikes on a vacation to New Mexico. Now, I should clarify—we owned mountain bikes, but our riding was typically limited to paved paths and city sidewalks. Nevertheless, we thought it would be fun to try actual mountain biking in the mountains.
I found what appeared to be a perfect trail: a scenic loop around a lake rated as "easy to moderate" in my hiking app. It seemed ideal for our skill level.
Within the first ten minutes of our ride, I realized my definition of "easy to moderate" drastically differed from the trail rating. The path was immediately uphill, extremely narrow, and scattered with large boulders. To the right was a steep incline, and to the left, a precarious downward slope with nothing but trees and bushes to stop a fall.
As we pedaled along this challenging route, I questioned whether we would survive this adventure—and whether our marriage would survive it too! It took us three hours instead of the typical two hours for experienced riders. But we made it all the way around. And I only fell once!
Interestingly, my fall happened not because I was going too fast, but because I slowed down too much. When you're on a bicycle, maintaining forward momentum is essential to staying upright. When I hit a technical spot and reduced my speed too much, I did a slow-motion tumble into a bush.
That experience taught me something profound about life: when facing obstacles, our natural tendency is to hit the brakes, stop, or reverse course. Yet sometimes, the very thing we need to overcome challenges is to persevere and maintain forward momentum.
How Can You Overcome Fear and Strengthen Your Faith When Life Gets Difficult?
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." — 2 Timothy 1:7
What's something in your life right now—a challenge or decision—that has caused you to stall? What is God asking you to do that seems a little scary? What fear do you need to face to truly find your faith?
This isn't about finding faith in yourself. It's about finding faith in the God who's calling you to take a step forward, even when the path looks uncertain.
The disciples of Jesus experienced this when He appeared to them after His resurrection. Luke 24:36-37 tells us, "As they were saying these things, He Himself stood in their midst. He said to them, 'Peace to you!' But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost."
These men had committed three years of their lives to follow Jesus. They'd given up families and businesses, only to see their Rabbi crucified. They lost all momentum and direction. But when Jesus appeared, He rekindled their mission, explaining how everything written about Him in Scripture had been fulfilled (Luke 24:44-45).
Like the disciples, when we push through our fears with faith in God, we discover strength we didn't know we had. My wife demonstrated this during our bike adventure. By the final stretch, she was confidently navigating obstacles that would have terrified her at the beginning. She had faced her fear and found her faith in her abilities—and in our shared commitment to finish what we started.
Joshua 1:9 reminds us, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
When we face our fears with trust in God, our faith grows stronger.
Why Do Difficult Experiences Shape Our Character More Than Easy Times?
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." — James 1:2-3
Life's journey is rarely smooth. Please raise your hand if you've ever faced a truly difficult situation. I'm certain every one of us would have our hand up.
The path we travel—especially the challenging parts—transforms us. You don't become a better mountain biker by staying on the sidewalk. Similarly, spiritual growth often happens when we navigate life's rocky terrain.
Romans 5:3-4 tells us, "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
God doesn't necessarily cause our difficulties, but He allows us to experience challenges because these are the experiences that shape us most profoundly. The disciples couldn't fully understand their mission until they had experienced both the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Their path—with all its unexpected turns—transformed them from uncertain followers into bold witnesses.
When Jesus told them, "You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48), He wasn't just saying they had seen everything—He was commissioning them to testify about what they had experienced. Their journey had prepared them for this purpose.
Similarly, your difficult experiences aren't just obstacles to overcome—they're shaping you for a purpose greater than you might currently understand. Embrace the transformative power of the path, even when it's challenging.
How Does Maintaining Forward Movement Help You Avoid Failure in Your Spiritual Journey?
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." — Philippians 3:14
My final point is perhaps the most important: forward motion prevents failure. If my wife and I had stopped pedaling somewhere along that mountain path, we would have never completed our journey. It was unquestionably difficult, but now we have amazing stories and memories from that experience.
Where in your faith journey are you slowing down out of fear? What areas of your life need you to "get back on the bike and start pedaling"?
We'll all face situations and circumstances we couldn't predict. But forward motion is what ultimately prevents failure. We only fail if we stop moving forward.
Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
The key is to keep our focus on Jesus and maintain momentum, even when the path seems impossibly difficult. When Peter walked on water toward Jesus, he only began to sink when he took his eyes off the Lord and focused on the storm around him (Matthew 14:29-30).
Why Is Community Essential When Facing Life's Biggest Challenges?
One of the most rewarding aspects of that challenging mountain bike ride was that my wife and I did it together. It was hard, but there was joy in sharing the experience.
Life's challenges are often easier when we face them in community. The early disciples stayed together after Jesus ascended to heaven, "continually in the temple praising God" (Luke 24:53). They maintained their forward momentum as a community.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up!"
As you face your own challenges, remember that God has placed people in your life to encourage you and help you maintain forward momentum.
How Can You Trust God's Promises When Your Path Forward Seems Unclear?
I'll leave you with these powerful words from Jude 1:24-25: "Now unto Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen."
Whatever challenges you're facing today, keep your feet on the pedals and follow the voice of Jesus. Maintain your forward momentum. Face your fears to find your faith. Allow the path to transform you. And remember that forward motion prevents failure.
God doesn't promise us an easy journey, but He does promise to be with us every step of the way. As Isaiah 41:10 assures us, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Keep moving forward, trusting in Him. The view from the end of the trail is worth every difficult moment along the way.
This article is based on a sermon preached by Pastor Bart Blair. Check out the video on our TEACHING page.
Check out this article if you find yourself in need of more relational connections.