"Is Rollercoaster Faith Normal? Understanding the Ups and Downs of Belief"

Do you like rollercoasters? Have you ever been on a big one? Where one minute you are at the top and the next you are rapidly flying down. Several years ago, I was with a group of young people at Disney World in California. Well, they talked me into going on this ride called Space Mountain. Up to that point I had never been on a rollercoaster. The teens kept telling me, “This is nothing much, you will enjoy it.” However, I kept seeing signs that read, “If you have a heart condition, you shouldn’t go on this ride.” The longer I stood in line the more nervous I became. Well, I did get on. Most of what I remember is hanging on for dear life and screaming from start to finish. It was the most terrifying ride I had been on in my life. When I finally put my feet on the ground, I remember being so relieved to stand on solid ground. The teens said to me “Kathy, let’s do that again! Wasn’t that fun!” Well, I thinkyou can guess they never talked me into that again.

How is your faith journey? Do you feel at times like you are on a rollercoaster? Your faith is strong, The Lord is blessing you. Everything seems to be going well. You feel strong, you are rejoicing, praising, and thanking God for His goodness, and blessings, but then you are hit with a trial. It may be a chronic or severe illness, a job loss, or problems with your children,

something that tests your faith in God. Trials are hard. No matter when they occur in our faith journey. David in the Psalms certainly experienced them.

Psalms 62:5-8 says “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honour come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times, pour out your heart to him for God is our refuge.” (NLT)

No matter where we are in our faith journey, God is with us. Let us be quiet before God. Listen

as we read God’s word and pray that God will show Himself to us, as our Rock and our

Refuge. Pour out your heart to Him, tell Him your needs and your fears, letting the Lord,

minister to you step by step.

GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH.