Viewpoint: God makes life a funky joyride
04-02-2010Deena Marie Hamilton
Special contributor
When I was the pastor of the Macedonia Charge in Lockesburg, I gave a sermon titled “Ride It ’Til the Wheels Fall Off.” I made fun of the fact that I was horrified as I rode the Big Bad John roller coaster at Magic Springs for the first time.
Life is much like a roller coaster with the sharp turns, dips and ear-piercing screams as you drop suddenly. There are so many unexpected events in life that we don’t plan for. And what the kicker is that even though we are Christians, that doesn’t exempt us from experiencing the twist and turns that life always offers.
But what I have learned is that if we think that we are in control then we are being delusional. We are not.
The only thing that we can truly control is our own actions in those situations. But even in those instances, it still remains a matter of trust.
When I think about trust, I often think of what Christ tells us during the Sermon on the Mount.
If we live a life of God-worship, then we can’t trip about what’s on the table at dinner or what clothes in our closets are fashionable.
Life is more than food for our stomachs and the clothes we hang on our bodies. If we just look at the birds that live without a job description, we know God provides for them. We are worth so much more than that (Matt. 6:25-26).
So why are we worried? I can tell you why we worry. Life is tangible, and God isn’t. We can see the twists and turns of life before we can see God in the midst of them.
I have learned that the best way to get through life is to just strap myself in, hold on to the safety bar and ride it ’til the wheels fall off. When I relinquish control of my life to God, I gain more control of my actions.
On my roller coaster, I lost a dear friend and the man of my dreams at the same time.
I had to watch him trot off to be happy with someone else. I invested five years in the relationship and gave all that I had to give.
But even after the 100-foot drop in my heart, I forgave him because it was the right thing to do. If I truly loved him, I would forgive him whether he asked for my forgiveness or not. And I do because I have.
That was a blow I didn’t think I could recover from. I relinquished control to Christ because He was the only one who got me through that.
When I graduated from Philander Smith College with a bachelor’s of science in chemistry, the first one I thanked was God even before my parents.
God gave them ability to help me get to that point in life. God got us through that, and God is gonna get you through it if you’re suffering.
Yeah, this is a funky joy ride because even in the gravity-defying twists, sharp wicked turns, and heart stopping drops, God’s got my back.
So guess what, ya’ll? I’m gonna ride it ’til the wheels fall off. Life is a fun ride because I have learned how to have joy in the valley.
Deena Marie Hamilton is the senior pastor of McCabe Chapel United Methodist Church in North Little Rock. She can be reached at rev.deenamarie@gmail.com.
