Lord, Get Me off this Roller Coaster!

Someone once said life is a journey.

But what do you do when your journey takes on the characteristics of a theme park ride? High hills. Jerky turns. Sudden drops.

You may be asking, “What good is this doing me? I’m up. I’m down. I’m scared. I’m out of breath. How do I handle this ride? Lord, won’t you make it stop?”

Don’t despair. There are some steps you can take and truths you can cling to that will help you endure this ride of your life.

1. Surrender to the Ride

There’s no stopping once you peak the hill and begin that dubious descent. There’s no brake pedal. No way to decelerate. The only thing you can do is raise your hands and surrender.

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” Heb. 12:2 KJV.

2. Know You’re Not Alone

Jesus is riding with you. He’s there through all the ups and downs, through every sharp turn, and even in the events take your breath away.

“For He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” Heb. 13:5 KJV.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” Mat. 28:20 NIV.

He knows what’s over the next hill. He sees the end from the beginning.

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come …” Is. 46:10 NIV.

3. Ride It Out

No one gets hurt unless they try to get off during the ride. The Apostle Paul once traveled to Rome on a ship destined to head straight into a tremendous storm. He assured all on board that no one would lose their life if they stayed with the ship. He held firmly to God’s promise. Through the battering of the waves and the rocks, all stayed as the ship was torn apart. No one was lost even though conditions were far from desirable.

4. Know the Ride Does End

It may seem like time is standing still, but trust that you are moving forward and the end of the ride is coming. Your feet will stand on solid ground again. Trust the Lord to be your firm foundation.

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” Ps. 40:2 KJV.

5. Once You’re Off the Ride, Reflect on Its Ups and Downs

At the peaks, you saw things you could never see from level ground. In the low points, you felt things you could never feel ordinarily. During the climb and descent, you may get to know others around you who are experiencing the same fears and thrills as you. You would never have known them if you had not ridden the ride.

If you place your trust in Jesus the purpose of the ride will work together for good in the end. (Rom. 8:28). You may never know why or understand how, but Jesus does. When you step on the shores of heaven you will see the end from the beginning just like Him and the roller coaster will make sense. Until then, trust in His love for you and His love others to sustain you through the journey.

Copyright © 2013 Carla G. Pollard. Previously published on Created to Climb Devotions. Used by permission.