Listening. Yes, it is a very hard thing to do. Listen to God? It has taken many years for me to get it, to be able to settle myself enough to
listen. This past year I have experienced many different emotions,
some good and blessed and some not so very good at all. In order to
deal with the “not so good at all” emotions and struggles, I found
myself getting on my bicycle. If you are a Facebook friend of mine,
you know how crazy I got on my daily bicycle routine this past spring
and summer by seeing my “Map Your Ride” posts. It almost became
an obsession. I had a goal and I was going to reach it! (I did reach
that goal by the way). Looking back, I realize that I found myself on
my bike pedaling for all I was worth during the times of inner struggle and times I had to deal with heartache. I would joke that I needed to get on my bike to get rid of the cobwebs in my head. In actuality, the cobwebs did clear out of my head after a bike ride, but if I
were to tell the truth, there really wasn’t anything more than emotions and thought there! What I really was doing was getting myself,
through exertion, to a mental state of calm which then enabled me to
listen, to listen to what God may have been trying to get through my
thick head.
There were many times when I started my bike ride very upset and emotional but by the time I was finished, I was better. I had worked out my issue that day by talking to God and listening. Now, I didn’t literally speak out loud and I wasn’t saying, “God, you aren’t going to believe what I am feeling right now,” but I was breathing and I was watching the road and I was looking at flowers and trees and I was looking at the water and boats on the sound all while pedaling. I was freeing my mind to be able to listen. I would end my rides much calmer than I started and I didn’t really know why.
One particular day I was riding and not really thinking about anything particular when all of the sudden a thought came to me that was a pretty good fix to a problem. I knew that the idea wasn’t of my own doing. God had to have a hand in it! I was open enough to listen that day and it felt good! With the fall and winter weather change, I could not ride as often and I missed it. So, when I am not able to bicycle, I am always looking for new ways to be calm, to hear God. Oh, and one really good benefit of physical exertion in order for me to listen to God, it isn’t as hard to lose weight!!
Sandy Briggman
There were many times when I started my bike ride very upset and emotional but by the time I was finished, I was better. I had worked out my issue that day by talking to God and listening. Now, I didn’t literally speak out loud and I wasn’t saying, “God, you aren’t going to believe what I am feeling right now,” but I was breathing and I was watching the road and I was looking at flowers and trees and I was looking at the water and boats on the sound all while pedaling. I was freeing my mind to be able to listen. I would end my rides much calmer than I started and I didn’t really know why.
One particular day I was riding and not really thinking about anything particular when all of the sudden a thought came to me that was a pretty good fix to a problem. I knew that the idea wasn’t of my own doing. God had to have a hand in it! I was open enough to listen that day and it felt good! With the fall and winter weather change, I could not ride as often and I missed it. So, when I am not able to bicycle, I am always looking for new ways to be calm, to hear God. Oh, and one really good benefit of physical exertion in order for me to listen to God, it isn’t as hard to lose weight!!
Sandy Briggman
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