Happiest Place on EARTH
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
If the two hundred dollar tickets weren't enough to turn you away, perhaps the hour wait to park or football length lines to get through the gate would be enough! And what's better than rushing inside to wait in more lines and plow your way through countless amounts of people? Yet, day after day this place, also known as the "happiest place on earth" brings in tons and tons of guests.
The scenario above doesn't exactly sound happy. However, time and time again we find visitors from all over the world making their way to, the place where magic happens, Disneyland. And as I found myself braving the crowds this past weekend, I was disappointed that this was what we, as humans, considered to be the happiest place on earth.
This was as good as it gets? Crying babies, drunk adults and 80 dollar pizza dinners are what we consider happy? I mean you literally wait in line for 40 minutes so you can journey through a dream land for less than two. Why do we as a collective people keep returning to this madness in search of happy?
I'm not going to lie, I got reeled in along with the other thousands of people that venture to the park daily. What does Disney sell that has us willing to fork over entire pay checks in a day? Well, they sell us the dream. And from now until the end of time, we will be a people of dreamers.
Whether you'd like to admit it or not each of us has a heart that is longing for something. Little girls wish to be princesses. Boys seek to save the day. And there's something about Disney that has us leaving behind the world for a minute. In the midst of the magic, we start to believe even the impossible dream can come true. We get the feeling that just around the corner, true happiness awaits. We feel like all stories have happy endings. And we get caught up in it all. And it works, because Disney appeals to our number one desire, to be happy.
And so we will face everything that is trying and uncomfortable about the Disneyland madness for the mere promise of a glimpse of happiness that may await us. We will put ourselves through the boring lines and extreme heat. We will suffer sore feet and hungry bellies. And we won't even complain because after the ride goes around four more times, it's our turn.
So, without hesitation we put up with trying moments, to experience 60 seconds of adrenaline on a thrill ride. Yet, when we feel tried or cheated by God, we feel the need so many times to say why me? What did I do to deserve this? It's strange really. We'd spend all our time and money to ride on a log down a waterfall, but when waiting on God is difficult we want to give up. We walk until we can't walk another step, to soar over California on a screen in front of us, but when God asks us to take one more step, we say it's too difficult. We will shove all our hard earned money down the drain for a mediocre plate of chicken tenders, but when God asks us to work for our dreams we think we should just be handed them on a silver platter. We allow ourselves to be so easily pleased by Disneyland and yet find ourselves acting so unimpressed by God.
I may have been caught up in the magic of Disney as I returned to the park for the first time in awhile this past weekend. But I was not fooled. I was made quite aware at every turn, and trill, and priceless moment, I took joy not just in the dream of a man named Walt, but in the overwhelming truth that the happiness I experienced that day was nothing in comparison to the happiness I have found in God. I realized, so often faith is built in the good. And the second the good goes south, it starts to fade. But if I can endure a day of waiting for wimpy rides, I'm certain I can wait for as long as God wants for the thrills in my life. And I'm positive that the struggles I face day to day, like the moments I found myself impatient amongst the crowds,will bring me closer to the heart of a Savior who endured more than the pains of crowds or failure or hunger for me.
Think about what you'd suffer through to experience the happiness the world promises. And realize that every moment you suffer for God, you're suffering for more than just the happiest place on earth, you are suffering for the happiness of eternity. You're heart longs for happiness, if it didn't, Disneyland would have no customers. But don't let your quest for happiness stop with a day at a theme park. Walt Disney had a plan for your day, God has a plan for your future. Live for Him. Live for Heaven. And embrace little moments of happiness on your journey to eternity.
Hebrews 12:1-2
If the two hundred dollar tickets weren't enough to turn you away, perhaps the hour wait to park or football length lines to get through the gate would be enough! And what's better than rushing inside to wait in more lines and plow your way through countless amounts of people? Yet, day after day this place, also known as the "happiest place on earth" brings in tons and tons of guests.
The scenario above doesn't exactly sound happy. However, time and time again we find visitors from all over the world making their way to, the place where magic happens, Disneyland. And as I found myself braving the crowds this past weekend, I was disappointed that this was what we, as humans, considered to be the happiest place on earth.
This was as good as it gets? Crying babies, drunk adults and 80 dollar pizza dinners are what we consider happy? I mean you literally wait in line for 40 minutes so you can journey through a dream land for less than two. Why do we as a collective people keep returning to this madness in search of happy?
I'm not going to lie, I got reeled in along with the other thousands of people that venture to the park daily. What does Disney sell that has us willing to fork over entire pay checks in a day? Well, they sell us the dream. And from now until the end of time, we will be a people of dreamers.
Whether you'd like to admit it or not each of us has a heart that is longing for something. Little girls wish to be princesses. Boys seek to save the day. And there's something about Disney that has us leaving behind the world for a minute. In the midst of the magic, we start to believe even the impossible dream can come true. We get the feeling that just around the corner, true happiness awaits. We feel like all stories have happy endings. And we get caught up in it all. And it works, because Disney appeals to our number one desire, to be happy.
And so we will face everything that is trying and uncomfortable about the Disneyland madness for the mere promise of a glimpse of happiness that may await us. We will put ourselves through the boring lines and extreme heat. We will suffer sore feet and hungry bellies. And we won't even complain because after the ride goes around four more times, it's our turn.
So, without hesitation we put up with trying moments, to experience 60 seconds of adrenaline on a thrill ride. Yet, when we feel tried or cheated by God, we feel the need so many times to say why me? What did I do to deserve this? It's strange really. We'd spend all our time and money to ride on a log down a waterfall, but when waiting on God is difficult we want to give up. We walk until we can't walk another step, to soar over California on a screen in front of us, but when God asks us to take one more step, we say it's too difficult. We will shove all our hard earned money down the drain for a mediocre plate of chicken tenders, but when God asks us to work for our dreams we think we should just be handed them on a silver platter. We allow ourselves to be so easily pleased by Disneyland and yet find ourselves acting so unimpressed by God.
I may have been caught up in the magic of Disney as I returned to the park for the first time in awhile this past weekend. But I was not fooled. I was made quite aware at every turn, and trill, and priceless moment, I took joy not just in the dream of a man named Walt, but in the overwhelming truth that the happiness I experienced that day was nothing in comparison to the happiness I have found in God. I realized, so often faith is built in the good. And the second the good goes south, it starts to fade. But if I can endure a day of waiting for wimpy rides, I'm certain I can wait for as long as God wants for the thrills in my life. And I'm positive that the struggles I face day to day, like the moments I found myself impatient amongst the crowds,will bring me closer to the heart of a Savior who endured more than the pains of crowds or failure or hunger for me.
Think about what you'd suffer through to experience the happiness the world promises. And realize that every moment you suffer for God, you're suffering for more than just the happiest place on earth, you are suffering for the happiness of eternity. You're heart longs for happiness, if it didn't, Disneyland would have no customers. But don't let your quest for happiness stop with a day at a theme park. Walt Disney had a plan for your day, God has a plan for your future. Live for Him. Live for Heaven. And embrace little moments of happiness on your journey to eternity.
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