12 Jun Faith Is Like Riding a Bicycle

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

Sometimes the most ordinary moments carry the most divine reminders.
We think faith is this big, perfect thing we have to hold onto without wavering, but more often, it looks like trembling hands reaching for the handlebars again. It looks like movement, even if it’s shaky. Obedience, even if it’s small. Trust, even when we don’t know what’s ahead.

Starting Again at 27

Just yesterday, I learned how to ride a bicycle again at the age of 27.
It felt familiar, but entirely new. It had been years since I was last on a bike, and I had forgotten how to do it. From figuring out how to get on and push forward, to learning how to balance without wobbling or falling, to using the brakes safely, it all felt daunting.
As I stood there staring at the bike, one fear echoed in my mind: “I’m going to fall.”
But still, I got on.

Wobbles, Fear, and the Gift of Trying Again

Those first few tries were shaky. I was nervous and unsure, constantly thinking I would fail or hurt myself. But I wasn’t alone. Two dear friends were there, gently guiding me, patient, kind, and encouraging from the very beginning.
With each try, second, third, fourth, I became more confident. I didn’t get it perfectly, but I could feel myself improving. There was growth in the trying. I was becoming better with every ride.
Isn’t that exactly what faith is like?

Faith Is Trusting Without Perfect Balance

Our walk with God often mirrors those first moments on a bike.
There is no “graduation” in faith, no certificate that says “You’ve arrived.” It is a daily walk, an ongoing relationship of trust.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV
Just like I had to choose to get back on the bike each time I stumbled, faith requires us to try again, even when we feel uncertain or weak. It is not about being flawless, it is about trusting the One who holds us steady.

The Beauty of Weakness and Dependence

I learned something precious that day. Failure and weakness don’t define us, they remind us.
They remind us to depend on God. They remind us that we are not meant to journey alone. My ability to ride didn’t just come from within, I needed help. I needed patience. I needed people.
But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV
Sometimes it takes failing to remember who carries us.

The Gift of Community

My two friends were more than just bystanders. They were part of the process. From affirming words to literally holding the bike or riding beside me, they never left me alone.
And by the end of our ride, we were cruising along a peaceful riverbank, surrounded by mountains. The very thing I had feared became a source of joy. I was riding, and I was not riding alone.
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NIV
That moment reminded me, faith is not a solo mission. God calls us into community, to lift one another, to walk together, to encourage and correct in love.

When God Only Shows You the First Step

As we rode, I reflected on how this moment mirrored what it feels like to trust God in a new season.
Learning to ride started with one step: getting on the bike. I didn’t know what would happen after that, I just had to start. Sometimes God does the same. He gives us just enough light for the next step and asks us to trust Him with the rest.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Faith doesn’t always come with a roadmap. Often, it just begins with obedience.

The Peace That Comes With Trusting

There was a subtle peace and joy in my heart by the end of our ride. I had gone from fear to freedom. Not because I was perfect at riding, but because I had tried, and I had trusted.
And in that trust, God met me.
This entire experience reminded me that faith grows as we keep choosing it.
Choosing to believe.
Choosing to try again.
Choosing to trust Him more than our fear.

Reflection and Invitation

What is God asking you to step into, something that feels unfamiliar, uncertain, or even scary?
Maybe it is starting something new. Or trusting Him again after disappointment. Maybe it is releasing control or asking for help.
Whatever it is, take the first step.
He does not need your perfection. He just desires your heart, your yes, your trust.

Reflective Prompts for Your Journey

• What “bike” is God asking me to get on again?
• Who are the “friends” I can lean on in this season of faith?
• Have I confused weakness with failure, when it is actually an invitation to depend on God?

A Prayer to Close

Lord,
Teach me to trust You like a child learning to ride for the first time.
Help me release my fear, try again when I fall, and lean into the community you’ve given me.
Thank you for walking this journey with me, even when I’m wobbly.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Chola Tshilanga

Hi, I’m Chola Tshilanga! A passionate content creator and digital expert using her gift of writing to help others live a more intentional life in God while fulfilling their purpose, using God’s word as a compass.