Twists & Turns

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

1 Peter 1:6 (NLT)

I love roller coasters. Though I don’t get to go to theme parks very often, I relish the opportunity to fly through the air, twisting, turning, and twirling through the atmosphere. My favorite place to go for coasters has been Six Flags Magic Mountain, down in Southern California. They have some of the best roller coasters in the U.S. My favorite coaster there is called X-2 (You can check it out here: https://youtu.be/6vcTtS1xXzE). It’s my favorite because it gives the most insane ride I’ve ever experienced. You sit in a harness and dangle from the track above you. However, your harness can rotate 360 degrees to the left and right (Also known as the X-axis) and also rotate 360 degrees up and down (or the Y-axis). So, as you hurtle through the sky at freeway speeds, your seat has the ability to rotate in any given direction based upon the physics of the ride. For example, when the coaster goes through a corkscrew, not only does the train spin, but so does your seat! It is definitely the most exhilarating ride I’ve experienced.

Of course, there are those who didn’t enjoy the ride quite as much as I did. They were very thankful when the coaster pulled into the station and they staggered off, vowing never to ride it again. There were also those who left a deposit in the trash can following their experience. Needless-to-say, not everyone found joy in the journey.

It’s that way in life, too. Life throws us some nasty twists and turns, ups and downs, and even a corkscrew from time-to-time. Then there are those zero-gravity drops when the world seems to just fall out from beneath us. While a real coaster may be fun for some, the crazy ride, the trials we face in life are not. They leave us hurting, dizzy, and down-right ill.

The Apostle Paul gives us some guidance as we face down the roller coaster of life. “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.” In other words, the ride will end. We will arrive at the station, Heaven, and not have to worry about the trials and tribulations of this life ever again. Keep the end in sight. Don’t get lost in the loops of life, the twists and turns. Remember that this ride of sin-filled life is short, and an eternal perfect life awaits.