I keep pedaling my bike, smiling so big that I could swallow a bug or two. But I always wanted to quit before traveling a half mile. My legs and bottom hurt. My shoulders tensed and ached. The same grumbly thoughts arrived from my brain: Turn around; you can’t do this.

But I kept pedaling, smiling, and believing I could. Partly because that was the plan. Mostly because I had ridden more than a mile many times before, when I wasn’t sure I could or didn’t know if I even wanted to try.

Sometimes, life feels like that first hard mile. People disappoint us, the economy concerns us, and churches struggle. Additionally, many of us feel worn down by the condition of our world. We experience a deep weariness, one that a nap doesn’t cure and exercise won’t fix.

But we are not alone. The Old Testament David experienced similar feelings. He suffered from physical issues, all while his enemies threatened him. We sense his despair and anguish. David was transparent. He always shared his thoughts and feelings with God, never sugarcoating any of them.

I am sick at heart.

~Psalm 6:3 NLT

David cried out about his sick heart, knowing only God could completely restore and revive him. The same is true for us. God is the ultimate healer, and all things are possible with Him. He goes with us through the first hard mile and all the miles of life after that.

We may all experience times when we feel sick at heart and have experiences that make us hurt or ache. Our brains grumble and try to talk us into quitting early. But we must keep pedaling. And we must trust God for His restoring and reviving touch.

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

Psalm 121:1-2 NLT

We must keep pedaling. We must look forward, accomplish meaningful work, find adventures, chase the dreams God has put into our hearts, and make some good things happen. Therefore, staying in motion is essential. We cannot let the evil in this world discourage or defeat us. We cannot let the evening news or others’ opinions entice us to give up.

Continue to hope, believe, and pray. Although things may look different from what we ever expected, we have ridden a new mile many times before when we weren’t sure we could. We’ve ridden the hard miles even when we didn’t know if we wanted to try.

Make it a regular practice to ask God to restore and revive you.

Dear Heavenly Father, keep me from giving in to fatigue and discouragement. May Your strength help me persevere through life’s challenges. Remind me to continue trusting You in all areas of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Genre: Nonfiction

Copyright 2025: Keep Pedaling: Cynthia Mendenhall: All Rights Reserved.