Just send It

It was six in the morning. Young me was sitting on a plastic sled at the top of a steep horse pasture in Salzburg. Not a single snowflake was on the ground, but the yellow grass was covered in frost from the cold night. I was hesitant. The rough ground was frozen solid. Piles of icy dung-sicles dotted the slope, turning it into a stinky minefield. I knew it would hurt. But I also knew that there was no way I would be able to enjoy my hot cocoa later that day if I didn’t sled down that hill.

So often in life, we know what we must do, but we don’t know how to accomplish it. Instead of jumping straight in, it takes less courage to stand back and watch everything unfold and fall into place. Then, once we can see every step of the path clearly, we decide it is the right choice, and we head down that road. Sometimes, it is good to be calculated. However, when it comes to certain matters, there is no waiting, no planning, and no finding a path. There is only a clear choice of what is right, so you just send it. This is walking by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Choosing to...

         Overcome anger;

         Not lie;

         Not partake in gossip;

         Not view porn;

         Admit wrongdoings;

         Not waste time;

         Become more upright;

         Defeat an alcohol addiction;

These things are big, big roadblocks for many people. Overcoming them can seem so daunting that sometimes, we get stuck on deciding if it is even worth trying. We simply don’t know how to do it. We can’t see a clear path before us, so we wait. We tell ourselves that once the stars align, we will be up to the challenge.

At the top of that hill, I did not know if I would make it to the bottom in one piece. Honestly, I was a bit scared. What should I do if I run into a pile of poop or hit an old horseshoe? What if the ground is too rough for the sled?

I didn’t know how to deal with the difficulties that could arise on the way down, but I knew I had to do this. I lifted my feet. Within a few seconds, I was barreling down the hill. My whole body shook violently as I picked up speed. The front of my sled mowed down the grass as the cut-off ends battered my face. I squinted so much that I could not see where I was going. I was riding blind.

What if a choice is so obvious that we don't need to know what lies before us?

Overcoming anger issues is non-negotiable. We must decide to fight it even when no path is visible because the alternative is to succumb to anger.

What about continuously lying or making a habit of gossiping? Are those traits that we want to embody? Absolutely not. The alternative to refusing this behavior is to be a liar and renowned gossip. Is that acceptable? No. Decide to change even when no path is visible.

Is it easy to break an addiction to pornography? No. Should we allow that to hold us back, or should we instead break free from the fangs of sexual immorality despite knowing the struggles that will inevitably follow that choice?

I could continue down this list, but I think my point has been made: We cannot always expect to see clearly enough to walk by sight. We cannot wait to make uncompromisable, life-altering decisions simply because we can't see what hurdles lie farther down the road. Certain values and decisions are so important that we must make them even when we don't know how it is possible to live them out. We must walk by faith.

Since these decisions - if made well - allow us to do what is upright and true, we must be willing to face every hardship, struggle, and uncomfortable consequence that comes with our actions. And we cannot let these repercussions deter us. Moral resolve is not comparable to a business decision in which cost and benefit are calculated. We do not choose moral excellence because it is beneficial but because it is right.

As I reach my top speed, I begin to doubt whether it was really all that smart to send it. At the same time, I am having the time of my life. I open my eyes a bit and see a big ol’ pile of poop ahead of me. Unable to steer, I head straight toward it and hit it dead on. I hear a loud crack as I am sent flying through the air. Landing on my hands and knees, I tumble across the ground. I slide to a stop. My whole body is aching. I roll to the side and look behind me to see my sled split in two.

That cold December morning, I sledded down that hill because I had faith in myself. I knew whatever happened on my journey down, I would be able to handle it, and I would be alright. That was a small event, and my confidence in myself was enough to get me by.

In life, my faith in myself does not suffice.

When facing life's challenges, my confidence is not in myself but in God.

When I walk by faith and not by sight, it means I cannot see my path, but I know God can.

That evening, I was sipping my hot cocoa by a fire…standing because my backside was too sore to sit.