Lessons from a Line

As I looked around, I didn’t see anyone complaining.

At least in any significant manner.

Most of us have been in that position…standing in line at a theme park waiting for our chance to ride. There may have been a few kids who were asking "how much longer?", but the adults? They were laughing with their families, scrolling their phones, or just waiting patiently in the Tennessee heat.

Compare that to how we handle the "lines" of life. The seasons of waiting. The trials that stretch longer than we planned. Suddenly we're full of complaints, doubts, and questions about God's goodness. What do those theme park visitors understand that we forget when life gets hard?

They Expected the Wait

Nobody walks into Dollywood shocked to find lines. The wait is part of the deal. You knew it was coming before you bought the ticket.

Scripture is equally clear about trials. Jesus told His disciples, "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). Not might. Will. James opens his letter by saying, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (James 1:2). Notice he says when, not if.

So why do we act blindsided when difficulty shows up? Why do we treat hardship like some cosmic mistake, as if God lost track of our file?

You know who does complain in theme park lines? Children. They whine and fidget and ask "Are we there yet?" every few minutes. Why? Because they have never been on the ride. They cannot imagine why this wait could possibly be worth it. And deep down, they do not fully trust the parent who brought them there.

Spiritual maturity looks like learning to trust the Father who brought us here, even when we cannot see the purpose from where we are standing.

They Were Not Alone

Watch people in a theme park line sometime. Most of them are with someone. They are talking, laughing, sharing snacks, passing the time together. The wait feels shorter because they are sharing it.

Solomon understood this: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

One reason grief and depression hit so hard is that we tend to isolate when we are hurting. We push people away right when we need them most. We want to fight our battles solo. But we were never designed for that. In John 17, Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified, bound together the way He and the Father are bound together. That is not optional community. That is essential design.

We talk a lot about being encouragers. But encouragement is a two-way street. If you refuse to let others bear your burdens, you rob them of the chance to serve. And you train yourself to believe that encouragement does not matter, which makes you less likely to offer it when someone else is struggling.

You cannot lower your head, sprint through life alone, and still call it abundant. Those two things do not fit together.

They Knew the Ride Was Coming

Here is the real reason people wait patiently in those lines: they are not focused on the line. They are focused on what is coming. They know that two-minute thrill cannot be replicated in their backyard on a Tuesday afternoon. The wait is simply the cost of the experience.

Paul wrote from a Roman prison, "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8). He was not focused on his chains. He was focused on his King.

Our reward makes every rollercoaster look like a kiddie ride. It is greater than anything this world offers. The question is whether we are staring at the line or looking past it to what is coming.

The Next Time You Catch Yourself Complaining

Ask yourself three questions:

Am I acting like a child who does not trust the Father? Trials were promised. They should not surprise us.

Am I trying to do this alone? We were built for community. Let people in.

Have I forgotten what is waiting at the end? Keep your eyes on the reward, not the wait.

The line is not the point. It never was.

To learn more about how to handle difficult seasons of life, check out the book Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot from our online bookstore.