Recently, we took our family to a theme park. From the highway approaching the park, we could see the huge hills of the roller coasters rising high above the trees. The steep incline and even steeper descent of the tracks snaked across the skyline like a mountain range. Walking into the park, we could hear the familiar sounds of the roller coaster cars climbing the metal tracks to their apex, and then the sudden roar of the cars amid the screams of the riders as they plunged down the other side; only to be swept away into another rapid descent or an upside-down loop.
Now, many people consider this fun. I get it. I used to when I was younger. But nowadays, my tired bones and my motion sickness shout a resounding “NO” when it comes to roller coasters. Watching them is enough excitement for me! But our son rode as many as he could that day and enjoyed every moment. At dinner, I asked him why he liked roller coasters so much. He used words like anticipation, thrill, excitement, adventure, and exhilaration. And that made me think about life.
Life is full of ups and downs, so it may seem like a roller coaster ride sometimes. Now to be sure, that isn’t always a bad thing. There are good rides, even fun rides in our lives. And if you are one of those folks who thrives on adventure, most rides are a welcomed challenge.
Good rides would be like the anticipation of family visiting from afar. First there is the climb of the roller coaster to its peak. It is a particular kind of anticipation that builds to an expected crescendo. Then the family arrives, and you enjoy the exhilaration of being together. It is a fun and thrilling ride with surprises along the way. It is satisfying and electrifying. But eventually it does come to an end. And you have the sweet memories of the adventure. There are many occasions like this in life – a birth, a graduation, a wedding, a vacation, a new job – to name a few. All of these events have anticipation, excitement, and memories.
Think about having a baby. There are nine months of anticipation, like a roller coaster climbs slowly and steadily to the peak. And when you arrive at the top, there is a moment of teetering as you hold your newborn for the first time; then suddenly the ride begins. You are plunged into twists and turns and rapid changes. The ride goes up and down, in and out, over and under, and everything else you can imagine until one day, your child is grown. Then the ride slows down and levels out, and you become an observer of your child’s ride. Your tired bones don’t want to take that ride again, but you absolutely can enjoy watching your child’s adventure!
However, not all roller coaster rides are good rides. Sometimes the ride can hurt you or make you sick. Sometimes it’s just too scary and overwhelming. These rides are not fun, nor enjoyable. The best part of them is that they END. I’ve been on amusement park rides that the only way I survived was by repeatedly reminding myself that it would end.
We can apply this survival technique to life’s roller coaster rides as well. Sometimes, we may find ourselves on one of life’s roller coasters without warning. All of a sudden, we are rocketing toward an unknown outcome, maybe even feeling like we’re out of control. We must hang on for dear life and remind ourselves that it will end. How do we do this? The best way is by utilizing prayer. When we pray for God’s help, He hears us. Deliverance is a promise that God made to us and that His only begotten son, Jesus Christ accomplished for us. We may see the ride slow and level out immediately, or it might take a while. Either way, it ends. Miracles do happen. But I think we may miss them sometimes because we lack the patience to wait for them. Just as we can’t jump out of a moving roller coaster car, we cannot quit during one of life’s roller coaster rides.
Roller coasters are designed to give people an adrenaline rush, therefore they keep getting taller and faster and more intense to satisfy people’s thrill cravings. This requires the riders to have more strength and stamina. When we are faced with an intense roller coaster ride in life, we must be strong and determined as well. It seems to me that people do rally in the most difficult situations, not because of cravings, but because of courage and conviction. I often say when I am faced with a particularly negative situation, that my stubborn side really comes out. I am just too stubborn to give in. I may not always win, but I am determined that I won’t go down without a fight.
When it comes to roller coasters, there are gentler ones for kids. The hills are not so high, and the curves are not so sharp. I bring this up because sometimes in life, we may feel like we are stuck on a “kiddy coaster”. This happens when we face ongoing annoyances like hearing bad news several times in a row or minor problems, one after another. They may not be serious, but they are frustrating. The ups and downs are not extreme but wear us out, nonetheless.
Sometimes in these situations we might forget to pray. We may think since it is not serious that we can handle it by ourselves. That may be true, but why not pray? I can cook dinner by myself, but how much better it is when someone helps me!
Another thing that I hear people say is that they don’t want to bother God with trivial things. To those folks I say, think of someone that you dearly love. If that person talked to you about trivial things, would you be bothered? Of course not. Well, God dearly loves His children with a love greater than we can fathom. His ear is always open to our prayers, and He cares about every detail of our lives from the trivial to the traumatic.
So, if you find yourself on one of life’s “mega-coasters” that is throwing you for a loop; or on a “kiddy coaster” that is distracting your attention, don’t hesitate to pray for your situation and remember “this too shall pass”. God wants to help us in everything we face – big or small. If you’re on a good ride, enjoy it and thank God for His blessings.
No matter what ride we may find ourselves on in life – a roller coaster, bumper cars, a carousel or a Ferris wheel, God’s eyes are upon us, and His ears are open to our prayers. When we are happy, God is happy. When we hurt, His heart hurts for us. I think this verse speaks volumes about prayer:
Psalm 116:2
Because he (God) hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
God is ALWAYS there for us. And whether our prayers are pleas for help or praise to a loving Father, God hears and acknowledges them.
Note to my readers: I pray that all your ‘rides’ are good ones. Thanks for reading.