The Rollercoaster of Life
Emotions are like a rollercoaster with its ups and downs. When you are up, you can see the world; life has no limits. It is terrifying as you plummet downward, but sometimes thrilling with a sense of freedom. In the valley of the lull, you can’t see anything and you hang on for dear life as you begin to climb again. The ride up again takes more power, energy and time. The whole point of the ride is to climb to the heights. When you board the rollercoaster the entire ride is the experience, not the minute or two at the top. You are on for the whole ride!
Isn’t it true in life? It’s so easy to zero in on the problems and hardships we face. I find it difficult to give my dilemma to God when there is no visible means of a solution. Psalms 24:7 encourages us to put down our magnifying glass and lift up our heads. As we look up, our focus and perspective changes.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient door; that the King of Glory may come in.
Psalm 34:19: The righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all.
So what if we stumble or fall? Proverbs 24:16 says, “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.”
What did Jesus say about life’s journey? In this world you will have trouble. But, take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33
Years ago, we went into the Idaho Mountains with close friends to cut firewood. As our husbands were exerting their manhood and using their chainsaws, my friend and I watched. Then she pointed upward. She told me whenever she is in range to hike to the top of a mountain she does it. So we did. After much huffing and puffing, we reached our goal. Then she told me that every time she gets to the top and looks out on the grandeur of God’s creation, she sings a song of praise. After we caught our breath, we sang at the top of our lungs, “To God be the Glory”. What a magnificent experience!
We all love mountain top experiences, but climbing and exerting ourselves are the only way to reach it. Even if we live up there, we still have to come down to eat the produce of the field. Most of that work happens in the valley. I have lived most of my life in the Boise Valley. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into growing all the fruit and vegetables there. If it wasn’t for all the sweat labor necessary to produce the food and jobs for people’s lives, you would not have heard of the famous Idaho Potatoes!
—-Donna Sorenson