So last week my girls were in VBS and the theme was amusement parks and being on a roller coaster ride with God (the folks at Lifeway did a great job with the music and the whole shebang!). I think it meant a lot more to me than to them. About 7 years ago (before children), my husband and I bought a pass to our local amusement park. There, for the first time, I rode roller coasters. I fell in love with “The Batman”–basically, you’re strapped into a harness and on a small seat so it feels like you’re just hanging in the air. I would close my eyes and just let go. It was one of the first times in my life I relaxed–there was literally nothing I could control.
Since then, God has repeatedly used the roller coaster analogy with me. Living on a roller coaster with God looks scary and out of control. There are unexpected twists and huge drops. It’s never boring. And you have more safety restraints on you than usual. We live in God’s hands. He keeps us safe, which means we can just let go and enjoy the ride.
I needed that reminder this week. I started a new treatment and it’s been really rough. Sometimes I feel like having a chronic illness is like sitting in the front seat on the roller coaster ride… you get a really good view of what God’s doing in you, but it sure doesn’t feel very secure.
