On my childhood trips to the carnival, I hesitated to ride the Round Up. You may know it by other names, such as Meteor or Gravitron. As I entered the ride’s circular chamber and stood against the wall, I knew what was in store.

Minutes after I slipped into a safety harness, the Round Up’s rotations began. The spinning quickened. Then the floor descended, like it had someplace better to go. I joined the chorus of screams around me.

Every muscle in my body made every attempt to grip the wall. I scribbled a mental note: Don’t ride the Round Up again. And yet, I found it fascinating.

Centrifugal force held riders against the wall of what felt like a spinning and floorless room. The force formed through the quick rotations while using our body’s weight to keep us in place. Without this phenomenon, every Round Up rider would sink with the floor’s descent.

But after a few minutes of screaming, the floor found its way back to my feet. The rotations stopped. I exited the ride feeling dizzy with a thankful grin. That was decades ago. However, the lessons from the Round Up stay with me.

What happens to us when the bottom drops out from what should stay up or stay together in our lives? When cherished goals are at risk, steps of faith may feel daunting.

The storied career becomes stalled.

A health status battles our hope.

A close relationship grows distant.

And yet, the gravity of our disappointments, are no match for the faithfulness of God.

With His power and love, He pulls us close so we can see His goodness. He brings us up into the light of His truth, in the midst of what could bring us down.

Yet, we can see this more clearly as we read what Scripture says about Christ.

“And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]” (Colossians 1:17 AMP)

Since Jesus “existed before all things,” our “Round Up experiences” don’t surprise Him or elude Him. “In Him all things hold together” and that includes what He has purposed in your life and mine. The Amplified Bible puts it this way:

“We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels— everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment (Colossians 1:15‭-‬17 MSG)‬.

Whatever we experience in this moment and beyond, Jesus holds us together. We may struggle to realize His care as tears fall, anxiety builds or guilt weighs us down. But whatever He has purposed for our lives, it is greater than what we fear, what we lack or our failures.

God’s grace strengthens us to grip His promises because He never lets us go. Even centrifugal force is a tool in His Hands.

It may feel like the floor of life’s stability loses contact with our feet. But through faith in Christ we can stand. The more assured we grow of His grace, the more secure we become in His love.

Although I was a hesitant rider, the Round Up taught me a lot about faith. In tough and uncertain times, God gives us a sure foundation. (Isaiah 33:5 and 6)

We can trust Him to fulfill His promises. The rotation of a crisis will cease. And even when it feels like things are falling apart, Jesus still holds us and His purposes together.