Life is lived forward but understood backward – Kierkegaard.
We have this desire to interpret what Jesus is up to, but mostly we don’t have a broad enough perspective. We tend to paste our limited interpretations on what often is God’s bigger and longer-term idea.
I learned this first-hand in the years following my injury. For more than a decade, I worked hard to isolate myself. I hid behind my work, and refused to do anything that might help me feel better about myself.
I never thought Jesus deserted me, but I also didn’t think he was actively doing much to help. Boy, was I wrong!
If you’ve read RELENTLESS GRACE, you know those years were filled with what I thought were random people refusing to let me give up on myself. I continuously rejected their efforts, but they kept showing up.
I now believe those people were sent by Jesus.
Ultimately, four of those friends coerced me onto a handcycle and changed the entire trajectory of my life – eventually leading to The FREEDOM TOUR.
I couldn’t see any of that while it was occurring. I thought those people were simply trying to help. I couldn’t see the arc at the time it was unfolding.
On my very first handcycle ride, that wobbly 2-block struggle, I discovered something. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t wait to try it again. I’m convinced Jesus smiled as I looked forward with excitement and anticipation for the first time since my injury. On that ride I found my first glimmer of hope.
HOPE – confidence in the future based on faith that God ALWAYS keeps his promises, even when we can’t see how it’s happening.
Before the ride, I literally couldn’t ride a handcycle because I felt hopeless. Hope helped me get back on the bike until blocks turned into miles turned into thousands of miles.
Hope changes what’s possible.