Terror or Thrill?

So, for nearly a year now, my family has been living out our faith under circumstances that were never part of our plans. Truth be told, I don’t think that I would ever have even considered this experience as something to strive for. Yet, like countless others, we find ourselves in a season that God has provided that is far from pleasant. OK, it’s been downright painful and difficult.

But isn’t that the story that we see over and over again in the Scriptures? There’s a different story that we sometimes inadvertently tell (some intentionally) that says that giving yourself to the Lord will result in health, wealth, and prosperity. But that’s not the story of the Scriptures. Rather, we see people going thru all sorts of hardships. Some because they have created the circumstances, some because of the actions of others, and some unclear. But the story of the Bible is that God knows, cares, and is near. That’s the promise. He is also able to change it, but that’s not promised. Only that He knows, cares, and is near. And that is sufficient.

The key in the midst of this is to maintain the perspective of faith. Faith is trusting in the Lord. So, we have a choice. We can either be filled with anxiety, fear, even absolute terror, or we can choose to be prepared to see God’s presence in the midst of danger. Whichever we choose is an indicator of our faith. Now, please don’t hear me wrongly. I’m not saying that people with strong faith don’t feel fear or pain. Those are natural, understandable first responses. It’s following that response from the flesh that the inner person is made known. Because the Lord’s people rejoice in all circumstances, not because of the situation but because of who He is.

There’s a video clip that I saw in church on Sunday that captures this idea. It’s a commercial that has very little to do with the product being promoted. But it’s great to see these two responses to the same threatening circumstances. Enjoy the video, but notice the condition of the man. Maybe watch it a couple times so you really get it. Then ask yourself which you are.


Don’t you love the comment from the pig? “Pure adrenaline!”

We have a choice. It’s a choice of faith. In what or whom are we placing our hope? Are we just clutching the harness in terror, trying desperately just to survive? Or, are we enjoying the thrill of the ride, knowing that ultimately it is the Lord who holds us up if we have truly put our trust in Him… WHEEEEEE