Railway Tracks

I guess that I've always thought about life as a series of ups and downs. I mean, that's the way that most other people do. One minute you are up, everything is going great. Then, suddenly, something might happen and things aren't so good. It's all seems to be downhill for a while. Life, as a series of mountains and valleys. Ups and downs.

Apparently not. I'm told it's much more like a set of railway tracks.

Really?

Actually, the whole idea comes from some of Rick Warren's teaching. Here's what he says on his website:

"We tend to think that life comes in hills and valleys. In reality, it’s much more like train tracks. Every day of your life, wonderful, good things happen that bring pleasure and contentment and beauty to you. At the exact same time, painful things happen to you or those you love that disappoint you, hurt you, and fill you with sorrow. These two tracks — both joy and sorrow — run parallel to each other every single moment of your life."

That’s really got me thinking.

You see, in every awesome experience we have, there will be things that aren't quite right. And in every challenging, difficult, painful experience, there will always be things to find that are beautiful and lovely.

I've also been reminded that, as you look down the railway tracks into the horizon, the two tracks run together constantly. To the eye, they become one track. You can’t distinguish them.

But we can't keep looking at the tracks. If you look at the tracks, you're not looking where you are going.

Don't focus on either track. Focus on the goal. Focus on Jesus.