Nov 12
8:18 AM
Roller Coaster Called Life
Nov 12
8:18 AM
Nov 12
8:18 AM
Friday, November 12, 2021
Philippians 4:11-113
Today, we're going to be talking about probably one of my favorite things: roller coasters. I love roller coasters so much that the first thing that I do when we go to Darien Lake or Seabreeze, is I run to the roller coaster. What I love about roller coasters is it has the ups, it has the downs, you go upsidedown, and you just exhilarating. It's exciting, it's fun, it has the loop-de-loops and everything. I mean, who doesn't love roller coasters? I know for some of you out there me just describing a roller coaster is already sending your anxiety through the roof, but trust me, roller coasters are amazing. However, the roller coaster of our lives isn't as fun as the physical roller coasters. Just like roller coasters, your life has ups, it has downs, it has loop-de-loops, and things don't always look the same way. Things aren't always good, and things aren't always bad. But it's not as fun, like I said, as a roller coaster is.
One person who knew this all too well was the Apostle Paul. Paul had a life that was filled with ups and downs, turns, loop-de-loops, and his life was like a roller coaster. One place we can see that is in Philippians 4:11-13. He tells us how we can get through this roller coaster called life. Starting in verse 11, he says, "I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." So, he's saying, "I've learned that in this roller coaster called life with its ups and with its downs, with its left turns and with its right turns, that in whatever situation, I need to be content. So in whatever he's going through, whether it's good or bad, I have learned what the secret is. The secret is, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
What Paul is saying here is that whatever it is that he went through, the good, the bad, the indifferent, all of it, he was able get through it because of Jesus. That's my encouragement to each and every one of you. It's the holiday season. Statistics show that the holiday season is probably the most depressing for people, because you have loss of family, friends that maybe have moved away, and family that have moved away. For a lot of people these bad memories come up around the holiday season. But it's a it's a time of joy as well. So I just encourage you, whatever you're feeling, whether it's a high or a low, whatever is going on in your life during this time, know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You don't do it alone. Not only does he walk with us, and he says he'll never leave us or forsake us, but he goes before us as well. So that's my encouragement to you, whatever you're going through, whatever situation you may be in today, just know that you can get through it with Jesus if you turn to Him.