– Being diligent at work
– Staying humble and considerate in relationships
– Resisting the urge to bend the truth in order to gain approval
– Setting apart Christ as Lord
Those are simple (on the surface, anyway!) and powerful character traits which were encouraged throughout my homeschool years and beyond. I was constantly reminded about how, in the book of Acts, unbelievers were drawn to God, not only because of the miracles they witnessed, but because of how radically different the Christian lifestyle was compared to the widespread paganism.
Still, no matter how many times I read about those traits and learned about people who exemplified them, these thoughts regularly pop up:
“But what if I burn out?”
“I have needs which are just as important as everyone else’s!”
“But what if I get so fixated on the truth that I end up being all hyper-critical?”
“What if I *think* God tells me to do something, but it’s just my own thoughts?”
I get worried that I will go from one extreme to another.
The Christian path truly is a narrow way… BUT we do not go unaccompanied.
Being a former gymnast and now a gymnastics teacher, I like to picture it as walking across a balance beam. There are two different ways to fall off to the side. If we look to one side or the other, we’re going to wobble. But if our eyes are fixed on Someone in front of us, “who does not change like shifting shadows”, then we can confidently move forward. And there, holding us by the hand and reminding us to stand upright, is our great Helper: the Holy Spirit.
Everyone has struggles and fears about getting the balance right. Some try it and give up. Some push the helping hands away and lose sight of the end goal. Others won’t even set foot on the beam because they think it is too hard.
It’s a nerve-wracking thing, being watched as we work on this balancing act. But let us continue to be teachable and bring glory to the One who enables us to stand. Who knows how many people will be inspired to follow our example?
Liv'n'Hope 