Balancing Without Falling

Did any of you watch tightrope walker, Nic Wallenda, on television as he walked between tall buildings in Chicago recently?  He went from one building to another with the rope inclined.  Then he went from one building to another while he was blindfolded.  I kept discovering that I was holding my breath, such was the intensity of his balancing act.  He crossed both tightropes successfully.

Nic Wallenda is an expert, coming from several generations of tightrope walkers.  There is no doubt he has been practicing his craft for years and continues to practice in order to keep his precision.  Practice is a necessity, but I have noticed there is something else he does with regularity.  Whenever Nic is walking a tightrope, he is holding onto a very log pole.  That pole helps him to maintain his balance.  I’ve never seen him walk a tightrope without the aid of his balancing pole.  Therefore, I conclude, since he is the professional, that the pole is an absolute necessity to his success.

I have to further conclude, when I think of successful Christian living, that we too, must hold on to something very important in order that we maintain our balance through the difficulties of life.  Do you ever feel that you, too, are walking a tightrope?  Perhaps your tightrope is one of great stress.  You’re trying to balance important aspects of your life: relationships, church, work,health, a list of all sorts of responsibilities.  Maybe, like Nic Wallenda, you feel blindfolded.  Fear grips you and you sense you may fall.  You can’t keep up the act of balancing the aspects of your life anymore.  Is there a secret to continued success?  Can you keep balancing without falling?

There is indeed something very real we can do.  We’ve already established that Nic practices in his physical world.  It’s the same in our spiritual world.  We must determine to keep practicing, doing the things God has told us to do.  Pray often, worship often, give God your worries every time you have one.  This practice is imperative to successful Christian living.  It’s a habit that must not grow slack.  We may fall if we don’t keep up the practice.

Then, in Nic’s world, there’s that noticeable balancing pole.  He grabs hold and not once does he let go until he reaches the goal.  You will never see Nic attempting to walk a tightrope without holding onto his balancing pole.

It’s no different in our spiritual worlds.  The writer in the book of Hebrews tells us in 10:23, “Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.”  As you and I walk the journey of our lives, we must hold on to our balancing pole, lest we fall.   We must hold tight to the hope we have in God, not letting go, knowing of a certainty, that He can be trusted to get us to our destination in safety.  There may be fear.  There may be uncertainty, but as long as we hold on to our faith in God, choosing to focus on His truths, then of a certainty, we will not fall.  Instead, we will grow stronger in our trust in Him.  We will grow wiser in our use of His Word to strengthen ourselves in times of difficulties in our lives.

The writer of Hebrews says not to waver.  Therefore, don’t do it!  Instead, hold on to all your hope in God!  Are you losing your balance?  Hold on!  Remind yourself that God has never made a mistake in anyone’s life — He’s not going to start with you!  Our trust in God is our balancing pole, promising to get us safely to our intended goal, everyday of our lives.

Keep practicing.  Keep holding on.  It has been critical to Nic’s success in his physical world.  Such determination is critical to our success in our spiritual worlds.