The Great Balancing Act

So there seems to be a theme in my life today. Well, most days really.

"The Great Balancing Act."

In this world, it seems like everything hangs in the balance, and the trick is finding the middle ground. I can think of about a hundred examples without even trying very hard, but I am going to concentrate on some biblical principles for a moment.

There is a balance to be found between accountability and grace. There are times to firmly hold someone accountable and there are times to extend grace. If you are constantly trudging through life, sword drawn, believing it is your job and your job alone to hold every person accountable...you are going to end up pretty lonely. And I am pretty sure that God didn't ask any one of us to be solely responsible for bringing every person to account. Yet, if we stroll through life, extending grace in every situation to every person...well, most likely - in this fallen world - we are going to be compromising our values, God's statutes. He didn't ask us to always have our sword drawn, but He does ask us to hold firm to His plans, His virtues and His unerring Word.

This can carry directly over into parenting. I have to find that balance between disciplining and molding these children God has given me for a time, with being a picture of God's grace and showing them mercy too. This is a hard balance. I tend to see everything they do wrong. Or because I am tired, extending a half-hearted, wishy-washy discipline. I am pretty sure there is only one Parent, our heavenly One, who can get that balance right.

Or the balance between guarding our hearts...and having hard hearts. God needs us to be open and forgiving yet that doesn't mean He wants us to let everyone walk all over us. Yet, He doesn't want us to have such calloused hearts that we become unforgiving or unrelenting. I can't believe He wants walls erected shutting out people.

How about the balance...or in this case, the difference, between Godly sorrow/conviction and guilt and shame instilled by Satan? Satan wants us to live in defeat, and one of the ways he keeps us there is by getting us into pits of dispair, guilt and shame. Godly conviction shows us a realistic picture of  ourselves and our actions but then tells us this is why Jesus did what He did for us. So we can overcome our shortcomings.

Whew, I've mentioned less than a handful, and I am already tired and overwhelmed! And for me this is the hardest part. Knowing that I can't probably get this one right this side of heaven. I won't ever have this all down to an art. Each day, I have to wake up and pray for the leading of the Spirit as I start my day. In each and every situation (today and the rest of my life), I am going to have to ask God for His leading and support. This is surrender. A knowing that I will always need to be surrendered and that daily I will have to lay situations and feelings down at His feet.

So I guess that means I can't ever have this big balancing act under control. But the reassuring part is...He not only can - He already does. And praise God for that! I can lay all of these balls I am juggling at His feet and rest. But because my arms are now open wide, I can hold onto Him and the Word He's given me to navigate this tricky life.

Now that's balance.