People's Rollercoaster or the Lord's Mountain

 You know, there was a point in my life where with nearly everything God asked of me it was followed with a question, whether it be ‘where?,’ ‘why?,’ ‘how?,’ ‘when?,’ and an occasional, “Wait, God, right NOW?!” But this season of my life has been with so less questioning which is even astonishing to myself, to be quite honest! My natural intuitive self would want to know the degree of each of life’s angles, the exact amount of steps to get to the next destination He’s bringing me, and the definite or at least round-about time to the second that my next “test” will start. Call me crazy but I like to be prepared and I have come to find out that in living a life with Christ preparation is gained in the silly timeless and sometimes timely things. It’s in traffic that I’m prepared to wait on Him. It’s in being asked to lead the “moment of silence,” “reflection,” or “meditation” at a secular corporation that you’re prepared how to lead a prayer meeting humbly. It’s those moments you’re speechless you’re taught how to listen. But truthfully it’s in the moments of trial you’re given the choice to learn how to enjoy dancing in the rain, to enjoy climbing the mountains, or jumping off the cliff of faith and trusting He won’t let you crash into the sharp rocks at the bottom. Unlike earthly parachutes, His will never malfunction.   
     The unknown which is usually an object of fear for us in our natural human-ness. We think we won’t enjoy what Father brings us to, which undoubtedly sometimes that is the case. But the image I get or rather the storyline I get when the thought of going into something “blind” so-to-speak, is this:

We are children wanting to go to Disney World but our parents have something they think we will enjoy far more. Sometimes we are the children that say, “Okay this could be fun!” But sometimes we’re the children that say, “But Mom! But Dad! We wanna go to where all the other kids are going!” But it’s the parents that tell us something like, “We went here when we were younger! It’s sooo much fun!” And we insist on believing that because they’re ‘old’ now there’s no way we can enjoy it. We want to be like “everyone” else and wait in the lines and see how everyone else is enjoying the ride, how everyone else is enjoying life with it’s rollercoaster turns. The parents, not falling prey to the children’s whines and complaints, bring the children to the woods. They bring them to natures twists and turns, so they can experience the mountains for themselves. And to the children’s surprise they enjoy their own experience for themselves… far more than expected. But it took the parent’s persistence knowing the children and wanting them to have their own experience to get them there. Sure there were cuts and scrapes along the mountain and yes, there were times when they were so exhausted they had to stop and take a break, get refreshed and renewed by a nice bottle of water. But they didn’t stop there. Once they felt strong enough they kept right on up the mountain side. The youngest of course runs out of energy and seemingly keeps the group back so Dad says, “Here. Get on my back! I’ll carry you till you can handle it.” They take pit stops along the way to play in the surprise creek they cross. They climb a few trees. See some passing animals then keep heading up. Then they reach the top. And nothing beats the view and sense of accomplishment than reaching the top for yourself, knowing every cut was worth it. No one sees it like you do and no one can experience it for you. There were a million and one paths you could have taken to get up there, some harder than others, but you took which was best fit for you that your father led you down… or up since it’s a mountain.

      You see, although there are examples of how to live life, sometimes we get so caught up in watching others experience life that we don’t live the life God’s called us to. Sometimes we try to pitifully replicate the lives of others. Sometimes we get so used to the same ole rollercoaster that does the same loops and turns that when it comes to letting God have the control and take us up the side of the mountain we get so whiny because we don’t know ahead of time what’s going to come our way. I was flipping through channels one day and I came to Grey’s Anatomy, not always the best show, but my attention was captured when I saw these two guys about to go on a hike through the mountains. One asks, “where are we going anyways?” And the other replies, “Why does it always have to be about the destination? Why can’t it be about the journey?” I think he was on the right track, really. No, you don’t forget the destination but at the same time if you put all of your focus on the destination you don’t get a chance to enjoy the journey. It’s like subconsciously focusing on the final destination but living life now letting tomorrow worry about itself. God wants us to come, yes with Him as our guide, on this crazy journey called life and experience it for ourselves. He wants us to enjoy the side of the mountain before we get to the top. He knows there will be times we fall and times we get tired and exhausted but He KNOWS the valley at the base of the mountain from the peak we so earnestly desire to reach. He knows every path to get up there because although He is the only way, He doesn’t take us through all the same experiences as the next. He knows where the big rocks and fallen trees are that you’ll have to climb over to proceed with life, I mean “the climb.” We are His children and our Daddy knows us better than we think. He knows the path fit for us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses and who balances those out. I know personally, He has placed people in my life that when I get tired and exhausted, feeling as though I can’t make it on my own will carry me and wait till I have regained strength. So many times we cling to the wrong people, the ones that aren’t willing to wait with us. The one’s that won’t be like Aaron and Hur holding up your arms in moments of weakness (Exodus 17:8-16). One cliché that I have learned to be true is “There are friends for a reason, friends for a season, and friends for a lifetime.” It’s both reassuring and at times discouraging. But that is all a walk of trust at the same time… as is all of life knowing we can’t get through it alive if we try to go through it alone.

[September 15, 2010]