The Roller Coaster Life

Do you like roller-coasters? 

I'm a screamer. From the bullet-launch to the sudden end, I wonder why I endure such terror and torture.

Sometimes, I think life is like a roller coaster. High up, straight down, crazy loops, sharp turns and at times, total darkness. Completely out of control. 

Don’t get me wrong, a flat, steady pace might become a little boring. 

Nevertheless, a break from the loops might be nice.  

The hardest part of the life-coaster is having no control.

I want to go right—but wham--the bottom drops out. I want to travel high—instead--a long, dark tunnel. 

We've all felt betrayed, defeated, tormented, afflicted, oppressed, deceived, abused, in bondage, attached, assaulted, or cursed. None of that is pleasant.

Awhile back, I learned something new.

It really doesn’t matter where the life-coaster takes me.

Why?

There is peace in learing that before hardship emerged on the tracks of our lives, it came before God. So if He allowed it to come, then there is a valuable lesson He wants us to learn. 

We have a choice.

Be a victim of the life-coaster. White-knuckle the ride and scream about the lack of control.

Or trust Him, submit and learn the lesson. And watch the tracks mellow. The blessings come and be changed for the better.    

Vivian Greene writes, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain."                  

How we live is as important as why we live.

May we avoid riding the loops of life and enjoy the rain dance more.   

Has the life-coaster delivered recent loops in your life? Are you white-knuckling or dancing? Let's learn from each other, please share.

Living the Garden Life, Tammy Van Gils plants words and sprouts insightful stories blooming with hope. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She's honored to be a guest blogger and a contributor to The Wonders of Nature Devotion Book, Worthy Inspired, Dec 2016.