| I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. |
| —from Philippians 4:11 |
“Walking along the road of the Christian Life is very much like walking across a high span on a tightly stretched wire. The key to a successful crossing is balance.”
That quote exists on one of the originally blank pages at the front of my Bible. Presumably, it came from some sermon that I heard many, many years ago. Unfortunately, I did not write down the name of the pastor who preached that sermon. But, that thought has remained in the forefront of my mind for lo these many years.
I believe the statement is absolutely true. As followers of Jesus, we cannot successfully walk the pathway God lays out before us unless we maintain our “balance” in all four of our human modalities: heart, soul, mind, and stregth—or in our emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical modalities. Walking the God-given pathway of life, we dare not lean too far to the left, nor too far to the right, or we will fall off the “spiritual high wire.”
I have friends on both sides of the political, cultural, societal, and even spiritual spectrum, who have more than once in their lives leaned too far in one direction and lost their spiritual footing. In fact, I have a very dear friend who has gone from one extreme to the other throughout most of the course of his life. But, my point is that we dare not fling ourselves from one extreme to another, back and forth across the spectrum of faith. If we do so, we will find that the one quality missing from our lives is genuine balance. The Apostle Paul summarized this well in Philippians 4:10-13:
I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
As we begin a new day, let’s embrace “spiritual balance” as a key element in our walk with God. Let’s not be blown this way or that by every new wind of doctrine that might arise (see Ephesians 4:11-16). Instead, let’s hold firmly to the truth of God’s written Word. And, let’s recognize the fact that consistency, represented by spiritual balance, can chart the smoothest and most productive pathway for the sake of the Kingdom, as we strive to keep all four of our human modalities in balance.
