Fighting Right

Bike lanes are supposed to be relatively safe for the cyclist but I must not have gotten that memo…I was flying through the air, preparing to land on an honest-to-goodness bike path that was free of any cars.

This particular bike path was there to join two major roads in northern California.  It was a small, but vital, piece of real estate for a cyclist.  The only problem was that I was racing 100 other cyclists and we were holding the speed of the wide-open road as all of us barreled into an 8-foot wide bike path.  We were 8 riders wide in a 4 rider wide opening.

Something had to give and that thing was me.  I don’t remember what happened but I do know I ended up skidding on pavement and leaving most of my forearm about 50 feet behind the place I stopped.  I remember all of the other racers kept going.  And I remember all of the support vehicles were not there because…we were on a bike path!  They were waiting for the race to re-enter the major roads.  We were isolated on the one place that was oddly the most hazardous.

So, I had to reprioritize what was important and decide how to go from a racing mentality to a bit of a survival mentality.  The first order of business was to control the bleeding.  The second was to find help and a car ride back to town.  The third was to get to the hospital.  And the 4th was to somehow leave a message for my teammates so they knew where I was when they finished and didn’t leave town without me!

I managed to get a ride in an old Isuzu Trooper back to town and somehow got myself to the hospital, where I waited for 3 hours in my cycling kit to be seen.  When the ordeal was over I had battled for care and survival instead of placing in a race.  It was a much different perspective than I had prepared for.

Ah yes, the battle.  When it comes to athletic events, we always use the term “battle”.  We prepare with training, craft a game plan, and then push our bodies to the limit to try to gain the result we desire.  It’s a battle!

But I can also say with certainty that not every race ends up that way.  There are alternative battles out there…just like my little bike path incident!

I have so many stories from shifting my perspective of what I was battling.  There was the time I lost my wedding band and went back for it.  I gave up the physical battle for the physical symbol of a vow.

There was the time I was content to jog while pushing a friend in a running stroller who happened to have a life-ending disease…but she was adamant about running fast!  I had to recognize the battle and get my butt in gear to serve her well.

How about running 100 miles?  It would require a lot of planning and an execution of a perfect nutrition and pacing plan.  But as I dropped down off a mountain with a friend we found ourselves pondering and planning on how to get to civilization in one piece due to a nasty fall!  The wilderness doesn’t care about your race belt buckle…you better know how to battle altitude, hunger, darkness, and 3 good legs between two people. 

Recognizing and perceiving the correct battle to fight is important.  Where we put our effort and discerning the right way to focus our energy is everything.  You can fight like crazy for an outcome but if it’s not the battle we are supposed to fight does it really matter? 

Check out Luke 22:31 for some battle insight.  We have our friend Peter, who was right with Jesus during his ministry.  He saw miracles.  He lived miracles.  He felt strengthened by the work that Jesus did in his life.  And yet Jesus tells him here that Satan would sift him like wheat.  There were battles ahead.

Jesus also said to keep the faith.  And that his faith would strengthen others.  His battle would benefit others.  Peter responded like a revved-up football locker room and declared he would go to prison and to death with Jesus.  But Jesus knew Peter, he knew the battle at hand, and he knew that Peter would eventually recognize the real battle at hand AND how to fight it.  That time was not now because Peter failed at the battle he thought he was to fight.

Just a few verses later Jesus goes into the Garden of Gethsemane, where he would encourage them to pray to not be tempted.  Jesus does just that…He goes and prays while Peter and the others take his words and…go right to sleep.  The battle was raging in the spiritual realm, but they didn’t recognize it!  Peter said he would fight and here he was taking a snooze.

The angry mob and Judas came to arrest Jesus within moments and Peter sprang into action, grabbing a knife and cutting off the right ear of a slave.  Peter was fighting a physical battle because that’s all he could see at the time.  His confidence was in his muscles.  He would later find that his source of strength wasn’t his biceps but rather it was an offer of forgiveness by a risen Messiah and God’s calling to expand the church through the rest of his life. 

Sometimes we find ourselves ready to fight for a result.  It’s not all that different than lining up for a race that we want to win, obtain a certain place, or a certain time.  But the race can bring a different battle.  Having the discernment and perspective to recognize the real battle comes through following Jesus closely.  It might come through some serious humbling and recognition of God’s grace and love like Peter experienced.  We may find ourselves with some road rash in order to place our attention for a bigger picture.

Often times we think of battles in our culture and draw lines for sides and points of view.  The battle can become between people and groups.  All too often we can make the battle big at the wrong level and invest energy into trivial skirmishes. The battle is higher than a culture flashpoint.  It’s bigger than a headline.  Jesus said it would be this way and encouraged Peter in the garden to hold on to faith and rebuked him when Peter fought a physical battle when the battle at hand was way, way higher.  The battle was, and is, in the spiritual realm with God calling us close to Him and Satan spreading lies and unbelief.  That person you disagree with?  They aren’t the enemy.  Take your battle with them higher.  Pray for them.  And you!  The battle isn’t flesh and blood after all.    

Recognizing, pivoting, and fighting the correct battle.  Sometimes you have to allow yourself to have your vision reframed for the fight.  Sometimes the fight isn’t for worldly glory but for the Glory of our God.  It’s different.  It’s not dependent on your strength, might, or your big-talking words.  Let Him show you what to put your hands to, what words to say, and when to say all of it!   And maybe take it slower on those bike paths!