Midweek Faith Lift
The Power of Faith- Conviction
Su Podraza-Nagle LUT
2/2/2025
Good morning and welcome, especially to those who are joining us online. We are glad you are with us today.
Last week, just to review, I spoke about our perception of Faith. Faith being one of our Spiritual Gifts or Powers.
Today, we will hear about our Conviction of Faith….. and Roller Coasters.
Just before this we sang, Jana Stanfield’s, If I were brave. One of my favorites. Let’s be brave today and stand in our Conviction of Faith.
Linda Martella-Whitsett states in part in her book Divine Audacity, “ Conviction is the mindset of faith. Conviction is trust, assurance, confidence. …….The fruit of trust is a peaceful mind..”
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Jesus, speaking the Parable of the Mustard seed to a crowd on the beach in Galilee in Mark 4:31-32
“Faith is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
Last week someone suggested that faith is like a roller coaster. We stand in the conviction of our faith through ups and downs, bumps in the road, twists and turns and occasionally full out 360’s and barrel rolls.
Do I have a Roller Coaster story? I sure do. I’m sure parents will get a chuckle out of this one.
Stow your gear, Strap in, and buckle up:
A young child, 4 or 5 yrs old was at an amusement park with their mother. We’ll call them Avery. Avery was fascinated with a certain old wooden clackity clack roller coaster ride. To the child, this appeared to be the best and most fun ride they had seen in the park. Avery kept asking to go on this ride. No matter how many other rides they went on Avery was insistent. The mom kept attempting to dissuade the child from wanting to go on the coaster. Using reasonings like, it’s a big person’s ride, it’s really, really fast, it goes higher than it looks like from the ground and on and on. Avery was not to be deterred. They even went so far as to measure themselves when they walked around to the area of the ride again. “Look mom! I’m big enough!” This child was steeped in faith in their ability to ride this ride. Mom, not so much.
The mom decided to attempt reverse psychology. She agreed to go on the ride with them and they had until they were seated to change their mind. The mom erroneously believed that once Avery actually saw the coaster and the seats, they would decide not to ride this ride. The closer they got to being seated, the more the mom kept asking, in show of “undeveloped faith”, “Are you still wanting to do this? We can just walk to the exit.” Avery was steadfast and with a look of 5yr old confidence and determination that this, this was their ride of rides they got on. The lap bar came down, the mom looked at her child and saw the biggest grin. Mom wasn’t sure this was going to end well. Did her child really know? Were they going to be ok? Mom had been on this ride dozens of times and loved it, but introducing her child to this wonderful ride, was it too soon? Mom put her hand over her child’s hand as the coaster started its momentum. It started off with it’s rhythmic clackity clack and away they went! Up and Down, around and round, they went all the while mom is shouting “Breathe Avery Breathe!” The child’s face was a mix of what appeared to be shear terror and fantastic glee. The ride was finally over, they walked down the ramp hand in hand, mom was thanking her lucky stars, as both of them had come off the ride unscathed, while she questioned her parenting skills. Suddenly, Avery burst out, “Let’s do it again mom that was fun!!!”
Standing in the conviction of their faith, that Avery believed. To this day, Avery absolutely loves a good roller coaster ride.
Here’s some facts about Roller Coasters. Our conviction of Faith in action:
The highest roller coaster in the United States Kingda Ka as of May 2024. It’s located at the Six Flags Great Adventure Park in Jackson, NJ, it’s a hydraulically launched steel roller coaster has a vertical loop height of 418 feet. Speed of 128 miles per hour.
Has there been a point in our lives when we were riding high, stood in the conviction of our faith, hands in the air knowing all is well,…. and then life took a dive and plunged 209 ft. straight down. Were we able to keep faith in the forefront? Trust that the Divine Source of all would land us back down safe, would sustain us through the life event, though maybe a little rattled and wiser for the experience. Were our hands in the air, eyes wide open to the experience, or did we close our eyes and wait it out. Don’t worry, there is no right or wrong answer.
The slowest “roller coaster” is the The Tiger and Turtle, which is a walking Coaster/sculpture in Duisburg, Germany. It has a height of approx..69 feet and boasts 246 steps. Where in our lives did we have the opportunity to feel faith deep within, taking pleasure in the environment around us only to have the physical self reminding us of our lack of exercise. When did we last hold a quiet moment for prayer and meditation? Would we start to “feel the burn”? Question the confidence of our conviction of Faith at the halfway point of our walk? Would we have the confidence to pause,…. to stop, ….affirming our divine presence, …taking a breath,…. and then settling back into a softer walking pace in peace. Being gentle with ourselves as we walk through our moments of challenges.
For those of us who have stood up to the life experiences they may have faced, there is the Riddler’s Revenge at various Six Flags Amusement Parks. There is even a Fun Ride tip, “Bend your knees a little before the seats lock.” It has 6 inversion loops. That means, yes, you flip upside down 6 times. There may be moments in our perception of life that though our life may appear upside down, we choose and we are able to stand in faith. We are always connected to God’s infinite potential. Remember to pray. Bend your knees. As one who has ridden something similar, yes, remember to bend your knees.
There are many life roller coasters in our lives which when looked through the lens of Faith and having, believing, knowing our divine potential, living our divine glorious moments, we see and know the goodness of us.
Rejoice in the thrill of life, stand in the conviction of Faith. Be assured of your divine nature!
Remember that mom who took her child on their first Big Coaster ride? Remember to Breathe. Hold hands. And remember to pray.
Meditation
Faith……… I am steeped in the bedrock of Faith…….. Focusing on the Christ in me and standing on the conviction of Faith of this divine potential, I breathe……….
I act in Faith in all things.
I hold to the belief as the mental acknowledgment of faith, leading to an intellectual knowing of God's goodness.
God, Principle, Omnipotence behind all things has given me a spirit of love, joy, and contentment
In silent meditation now, I affirm inner strength, peace, and faith. ………………….
As I come back to this moment I understand-
The presence of God within me is a limitless source of faith, strength, and power.
So it is, and so we let it be.
Amen.