My Most Stresful Bike Ride Ever

Two weeks ago, Annette hosted a ladies’ book club meeting. Because I was invited to not be home, I decided to go cycling on the nearby Pacific Electric Trail.

All went well until I was about eight miles out when I noticed a distinct, rhythmic “thumping” sound. I got off the bike and discovered that the rear tire was fairly soft. Changing a rear innertube is a huge pain because of the serpentine route the chain follows around the derailleur and the various gears. Once the wheel is off, you’re out of luck if you can’t put everything back together.

Since the tire was just soft and not entirely flat, I decided to try to pump it up enough to limp back. Unfortunately, the thumping returned within a half mile, so I stopped to fill the tire again. When the thumping returned for the third time, I decided I either had to try to change the tube (a thought I didn’t relish), ride on the flat (which would shred the outer tube), or walk the seven miles back (destroying the metal cleats clamped to my cycling shoes).

With a gulp, I decided to attempt the repair knowing I would be in a real mess if I failed. I prayed  for wisdom as I started. Within minutes, I regretted that I had just lubed my chain before the ride. Greasy hands and a white cycling jersey don’t mix too well.

After a few false starts and many appeals to God, I succeed in putting everything back together. As I rode off toward my car, I thanked God for granting my request. Then I remembered to check that I had my phone, wallet and all my tools.

To my horror, I discovered my wallet wasn’t in my rear jersey packet. I panicked! I had three credit cards, my ATM card, my driver’s license, my health insurance card and about $80 in the wallet. If it was lost, I would have to replace all of those – a monumental task – and notify the dozen companies being auto-paid using one of the credit cards.

I decided to retrace my steps in case the wallet had fallen out of my back jersey pocket as I stopped to pump up the tire or replace the innertube. But nothing.

Then I started to pray that perhaps a kind soul would find my wallet and use my business card to contact me and return it. Then I prayed that maybe the wallet had fallen out of my jersey next to the car before I left and that I would find it there.

I thanked God that he answered my prayers about fixing the tire but then resigned myself to the fact that I would probably have to face major hassles to replace everything in my wallet. Just then, I thought of what Job told his wife when, after she saw his misery told him he should just curse God and die. Job said she was speaking like a foolish woman, adding, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” (Job 2:10). Could I praise God for answering my prayer about the tire but not the lost wallet?

And THEN, I had a completely different thought. I remembered that I had NOT put my wallet in my jersey pocket after all but instead had zipped it up into the back pocket of my Camelbak hydration backpack, something I had never done before. So the wallet was safe and sound!

I thanked God for his grace in letting me avoid having to replace everything. But I was more thankful that he led me to the point of being willing to accept a bad outcome without resentment. I think the only reason I was able to do that is that Jesus has shown himself to be faithful over and over in negative and even tragic situations.

So it was a tough ride:  a flat tire, anxiety over a possible lost wallet, and (because of those problems) a delated finish until early afternoon when the temperature was 104 degrees. Not my favorite ride, but one that reinforced an important lesson.

How about you? Are you able to accept both good and trouble from God?