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VIRTUES
& VICES
"The Rollercoaster"
FEAR
"Ladies and Gentlemen, young and old, sit back,
buckle up, and prepare yourself for the ride of your life.
"You will have thrills, you
will have spills, you will have chills, you will on occasion feel like
giving up.
"And there will be times you
will wish to get off this roller coaster, but please don't, it's a long
drop.
"Don't let the name
Roller Coaster fool you; Coast is something you
will rarely do on this ride. And when you find yourself coasting,
reconcile yourself, you are merely being prepared for yet another
topsy-turvy adventure. And adventure, along with the experience,
discoveries and knowledge gained on each, is what this ride is all
about.
"Take note that the
vehicle in which you are to experience this ride is not attached to any
other vehicle on the track. Others may be very near, and may
occasionally touch, or even ram your vehicle, but none can control it
but you yourself, and the Management of this ride.
"But be not dismayed, you
will not be alone on your journey. You will be carefully observed and
supported throughout the ride, even through the times you feel
abandoned and on your own.
"Please look on the seat
beside you. There you will find a Book of instructions. Refer to this
Book whenever you are in doubt, when you are afraid, and when you need
comforting. In fact, regular study and familiarization with these
instructions is highly recommended.
"In front of you are
your controls. At your right foot is the brake peddle that you may use
to slow or stop your vehicle. There will be many times that you will
desire to use the brake, especially when approaching what appears to be
a very dangerous curve or twist of the track. Resist the temptation to
use the brake. Use of the brake is addictive. The more often you apply
it, the more likely you will be to use the brake for less and less
perilous situations. And the less you use the brake, the stronger will
be your confidence in the vehicle, the track, the Management, and in
yourself. Use of the brake produces fear, depression, a feeling of
powerlessness, and a lack of self esteem.
"Conversely, ignoring the
brake produces confidence, joy, a sense of empowerment, and
ever-expanding faith.
"The Management and Creator
of this rollercoaster highly recommends that you do not touch the brake
which is at your disposal.
"Directly in front of
you is a steering wheel. This steering wheel is not an ornament, it is
fully functional.
"You will find many
occasions on this ride in which you will be tempted to use this
steering wheel, especially in the beginning of your journey. Like the
brake at your feet, the more times you utilize the steering controls,
the more often you will be tempted to use it in the future.
"On the track before you are
numerous junctions where the track creates a choice for you to make.
And at these junctions you will be tempted to steer your vehicle onto
what appears to be the most interesting, or the easiest of the choices.
It is strongly advised that you consult your Book of instructions at
these junctures.
"Should you choose the wrong
track, you will have difficulty finding your way back to the main
track. But it is important that you use diligence in doing so, as the
farther you venture from the main track, the less will be your resolve
to return, until your desire disappears altogether.
"But don't be discouraged.
Side tracks are adventures unto themselves, and the lessons learned at
each are for your benefit. Side tracks are a part of the Mastercreation
of this rollercoaster. They are not built for your detriment, but for
your achievement. The dangers are only present if you allow yourself to
get trapped or comfortable in the side tracks.
"Next to you in your
vehicle, in the passenger seat, is your Helper that the Manager and
Creator of this park has provided for your comfort and assistance. You
will not see him, and you will rarely be aware of him since your full
attention will be on the track ahead, and the experience of the moment.
But he is there nonetheless.
"On those occasions when a
decision has to be made, it is highly recommended that you ask his
guidance. And like the Book of instructions, it is also highly
recommended that you get to know him well, and follow his guidance.
"You will also find that the
more control you take of your vehicle, the less you consult your Book
of instructions, and the less you consult your Helper - the farther
your Helper will withdraw from your side. Should you become aware of
this withdrawal, and that you are not consulting him as often as you
had been, and that you have not been referring to your Book of
instructions - then immediately stop what you are doing, study your
Book of instructions, and have a long discourse with your Helper.
"The above is especially
important if you find yourself feeling comfortable in that abandoned
state.
"And finally, throughout
your journey, keep in mind that this ride is for your
benefit. The more you put into it, the less you hold back, the more you
learn to trust the ride, your Helper, your Book of instructions, and
the Manager-Creator of this ride - that much more you will get out of
your journey."
TEST OR TRIBULATION
This adventure, this
rollercoaster called Life, is what you make of it. It is a treat, it is
treacherous, it is whatever portion of the experience you concentrate
on.
It is like Sweet and Sour
Pork. Both are there, both come together; but whether it is sweet, or
whether it is sour, depends on that which you choose to taste from it.
A child who sits on his
father's shoulders is "high." A mountain climber who ascends Mount
Everest is "High." An astronaut circling the earth is "high."
A man or woman who never
allows themself to ascend higher than their father's shoulders will
believe that they have reached "high enough," and will be afraid of
going any higher. Meanwhile, the mountain climber sees fear as a
challenge, and seeks higher mountains to climb.
Those who use the brake
of their vehicle, that is this body and all it encompasses, will very
likely feel safe and comfortable when life is at a slow pace, or is
stopped altogether. But the Rollercoaster of life never stops; it is
either going forward slowly in preparation for yet another "out of
control" experience; or it is going backward into the familiar and
mundane, seeking stability.
The familiar feels safe,
like "family" where all fairly well know what to expect from one
another. The convict in prison feels "safe." The employee on the
assembly line feels "safe." The child or wife in an abusive home feels
"safe."
The feeling of safety comes
with familiarity. Change produces fear, and the fear of change
compounds that fear. A person may hate the situation they are in, and
even fear it greatly - but the fear of change into the unfamiliar is
even more frightening.
And fear is the opposite of
faith. Faith demands change. Faith is achieved, and is cultivated by
moving into the unknown, the untried, and the fearful.
Faith is a muscle. If it is
exercised, it grows in strength. If it is pushed to its limits, it
grows even stronger and faster.
A muscle not exercised will
atrophy, that is, it will weaken and wither, like a flower without rain.
We pray: "God, give me
faith." What we mean is, "God, make me into a world class contender
while I lay here in bed and sleep."
God will provide what we ask
for, if we truly want it. He provides the stairs
for us to reach it, but we have to climb.
And the more we climb, the
easier it becomes to climb, and the more and faster we desire to climb.
Man was created as an
obsessive-compulsive creature. He (and of course I mean "she" as well)
has more than just a drive to survive and reproduce as do others of
God's creation. He is driven to do, to
accomplish, even to excel.
And whatever he directs that
drive toward, he wants more of it. And the more he gets, the more he
wants. That direction may be money, fame, love....
Or it may be Faith.
Or it may be God.
Like the dieter, who when he
is dieting, loses weight rapidly, and when he is no longer dieting,
puts it on rapidly..
But how about lazy people,
how can they be called obsessive-compulsive? Lazy
is the direction in which they have directed their efforts. And the
longer they are on this earth, the lazier they become.
Have you ever heard the
expression, "if you want something done, go to a busy person"?
Or have you ever heard,
"be careful what you wish for (and that especially applies to pray
for) because you are just liable to get it."?
If you want strong muscles,
expect to receive a very heavy box of weights, a job lifting bales of
hay, or a shovel stuck in a very large pile of manure that must be
moved.
If you desire Faith, watch
for a very rickety old stairs which leads to dilapidated bridges over
treacherous ravines. And when you are able to run the course
blindfolded, and joyously do so, you will know that you have been
"given" that which you have prayed for.
Life is a tribulation
for those who wish to hide from it.
Life is a test for those who
challenge it and strive to meet its challenge.
[For
the conclusion, see Hidden
Truth]
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