I went for a walk today and nearly blew away. At least it felt that way. I leaned so heavily into the wind when facing it that I knew I’d fall flat to my face if the wind suddenly stopped. It wasn’t even refreshing to walk with my back to the wind, because I had to lean back slightly and keep my feet firmly in from of me to keep from being pushed into a jog.

Different conditions make activity harder or easier. For this central Illinois girl, hiking in the Rocky Mountains requires an adjustment. I start drinking water as soon as I land in the higher altitudes and monitor my breathing more closely, particularly as I hike into the mountains. Oxygen is less concentrated, so I have to adjust in order to avoid quick fatigue.

On the other hand, “swimming” in the Dead Sea in Israel took nearly no effort at all. Leaning back into the water to float with no effort is something I knew was supposed to happen, but I thought I’d likely have to do something besides sit back and relax. No. It truly was as easy as people had made it sound.

A variety of factors impact the effort it takes to accomplish something. When have you experienced “uphill, thin air” faith? When have you experienced “sit back and relax” faith?

I hope you’ve experienced a taste of both!

Sit-back-and-relax faith moments might seem few and far between, but consider the moments in which you’ve had peace where you are even if there is uncertainty and chaos around you. There have been times when I’ve travelled and been in the middle of what seemed like chaos. There have been throngs of people, many who don’t speak my language at times, trying to get in a variety of directions, perhaps even complaining or making demands. There have been security concerns as I jostled among people. There have been raised voices and reddening faces. While I continued to be mindful of what was going on around me, even planning for a variety of options of leaving the situation, I’ve had peace that there was no need to panic.

I’ve been in situations in hospitals when the unknown or inconceivable is pressing in around a family I’m trying to help. There’s chaos in disagreements mixed with elevated emotions. Voices are raised. Tension increases. Yet there can be peace. I can see it in some people’s faces. They may be upset, but they proceed with a foundation of assurance.

Other situations are the uphill, thin air experiences that seem to take every effort to make it one more step. The hope of beautiful views can help with motivation but the labored breath and effort can quickly create fatigue. I’ve been in situations in which I collapse because I just can’t catch my breath well enough to take one more step. I have to regain some strength before moving on. At the time, I might not even believe it’s possible to move on. Even after a rest, the climb must continue. It seems to never end. I can’t see the top of the mountain through the crowd of the trees. While I try to believe there is a view worth pursuing, I begin to question if I’m even on the right path. Perhaps I should go back. Perhaps I’m not cut out to accomplish this. I might as well just quit. The climb can overwhelm me to the point of exhaustion or surrender. Or, I might experience the sense of accomplishment as I push ahead.

Why do we let our circumstances dictate our attitudes and plans? Yes, our efforts are affected, but they’re not determined by our circumstances.

“Make every effort to give yourself to God as the kind of person he will approve. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

We can’t dictate our circumstances. However, we can persevere whether the wind is at our backs or faces. Our responsibility is responding in obedience.

Consider how you’re allowing your circumstances determine your effort. What effort are you intentionally and unconditionally putting into your relationship with God?