Balancing

Recently I watched the Olympic qualifying segment for the balance beam. I marveled at the skill and talent these young women brought to the event. I look forward to seeing the upcoming competition. How do they do that? How do they practice for hours on end? Where does their motivation to succeed at this level come from and why do they dedicate their lives to it?

In one of the final performances that would determine if our team would qualify, the young woman’s family was on screen. As she was nearing completion of her routine, her parents were so in tune with her that they were actually moving their bodies in sync with her movements. They had watched her so many times they themselves actually became physically connected to her performance.

No, they weren’t on the beam themselves, but were sharing her focus.

The commentator pointed out where she had fallen in a recent competition and she sailed right through that part in this performance which everyone had been holding their breath.

Balance.

Her determination to get up when she falls and get back on the beam – to become stronger, more focused and training to compete on a level most of us can only watch from the comfort of our living rooms – I see in each of these young women –  an admirable, disciplined diligence to succeed.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

As I’m sitting in my kitchen writing this today, I hear the washer beeping. The duvet inside has managed to roll up into a giant ball throwing the machine off balance. It is bulky and heavy. It irritates me how often that happens. No matter how I spread it out when I load it – it never fails to create problems.

Balance.

And here I am watching the Olympics and here I sit listening to the silly washer.

And I begin to consider the balance in my life. Walking the “beam” path of my life, I consistently fall off balance. Do I practice and many of the obstacles that used to cause me to stumble and lose balance don’t any more?

Yes.

Constantly.

I used to be so afraid of losing my balance that I barely took any risks or dared  not move too fast or do anything that would rock the boat.

I feared falling.

I don’t fear it so much any more. No matter how much the girl on the balance beam practiced – even becoming a world champion, there are still times when she falls. She began with spotters who stood beside her to catch her fall. I am constantly aware of God “catching” me when I fall. What a beautiful example of encouragement she is to me. She falls down – she gets back up. There are times she is injured and unable to get back on the beam until she heals and there have been times I have been injured by life so badly I have to rely on God to bring the balance and healing. Yet it takes away the fear that keeps me from moving – or causing me to quit life.

I recognize it is part of living this life – it hurts – falling afraid hurts more than it does to fall when I know I am traveling the right path. My trust in God has taught me He will be there when I fall. When I have rolled all this life stuff up into a ball that is too heavy and throws me off balance, alarms sounding, I know He is there to help me untangle the mess. In fact, He takes the whole load from me and carries it for me.

Balance is the essence of our journey. Until we are able to depend on God to provide the balance He is waiting to give us, we will struggle with pride, unforgiveness, anger and many more emotions and challenges that we were never meant to carry.

Maybe you have family walking with you that know your routine and watch anxiously as they know only you can make the decision of how to create balance in your life. They, too, watch with the anticipation of the next part of the routine just like the girl’s family did that day in Rio at the trials.

There is no one who can make these decisions except us – for ourselves.

Maybe you are one of the “cheerleaders/spotters” in life as you walk alongside your loved ones watching as they attempt to gain their balance and you spend your life playing their god – ready to catch them, rescue them and fix everything.

Stop it.

Sounds easy – said NO. ONE. EVER.

But therein lies your/my own personal challenge with balance and the cycle continues.

This world needs God and importantly the balance of this world begins in each of our hearts as each of us makes the decision every step of the way. Each of us gets a chance as we journey through our routine on the balance beam of life.

What can we address and hand over to God today?

What changes can we make in our lives today that will change the way we walk – becoming more graceful as we practice placing our balance with God.

We all hope to end our “competition” {journey} in this life well.

What does that look like to you? Are you ready to move to the next level – one that will be filled with hope and anticipation of the new routines waiting for you? One that will lead you to an eternal life in heaven?

The message of the world is not one of balance. The world continually throws the heavy at us as God waits to take it from us.

Give it up to Him.

Journey well . . .

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”    The Message – Matthew 11:28-30

“Lord, today please hear the pain in our hearts. Hear the tiredness. The weary. Come close Lord. Let us see You standing there waiting to take our burdens. Give us the courage to lay aside our pride or anything that keeps that barrier between us. Show us the way to gaining the balance in our lives. Lord, direct our thoughts and help us to focus on our relationship with You. Forgive us Lord – in our doubt – we love You. Amen”