Staying firm

It is amazing the difference a fully inflated tire has on the quality of the bike ride. Life is inheritantly arduous and we must navigate to the best of our ability; but why make life harder than it aIready is?
A bicycle ride on a solid, firm surface (like asphalt) tests our stamina and strength. When the tires are fully inflated that ride is made less difficult, even smooth at times. There is an abudance of instruction designed to keep our bikes in the best possible condition to provide the highest enjoyment. The easiest thing we can do to maintain the high quality of our bicycles is to ensure the tires are fully inflated. Under-inflated tires cause the bicycle to work against more friction as there is more tie in contact with the ground. What that means is we must work harder to propel ourselves forward on our journey. As a result we exhaust ourselves quicker and/or earlier and shorten our destination ending up not where we want to be. Something so simple as inflating our tires improves the quality of our ride dramatically; the difference is noticeable.
As with the bicycle, life comes with instructions (written or verbal counsel from the Lord or His servants). But the best instructions are worthless to us if we do not take the time to read and study them. To keep the friction with life to a minimum we must inflate our spiritual tires and keep them firm daily. Failure to do so can make life seem extremely difficult, almost as if we are fighting against everything. The days seem long and tiring. Our efforts seem futile as we struggle to go even partway on our journey. And we end up in a place we didn’t want to be.
I know it is the design of our Creator that life be enjoyable, that we learn and grow and be happy. I know that to do this we must be and maintain spiritually firm to provide the trials and friction points of life as few points of contact with us as possible. Yes, we will still struggle but the stronger the effort we put in the greater the happiness we will have. So why make the struggle any harder then it has to be. Best to maximize our strength with a fim soul, fully inflated on the Lord’s instructions, and teach our joyous destination with happiness and an appreciation for the ride.