The kids and I passed a home that just received a brand new, shiny piece of playground equipment. The new paint shone brightly as the sun hit it just right. I pulled their attention from electronics to gaze at the equipment. I shared memories of playing on such equipment and the joy it can bring.
When calling it by name – Teeter-Totter – my daughter sat puzzled. I had to explain it further and describe its mechanism. She then remembered playing on a knock-off one which never touches the ground due to the spring in the center. Children simply bounce up and down on the equipment. Not this one; this was the old classic wooden one.
For such equipment to work properly, children (or adults - don’t judge) teeter back and forth by pushing off the ground with their feet each time their side falls downward. The most enjoyment occurs when weight of people involved are similar; therefore, both enjoy a flight up in the air as well as coming down after the force of opposing side kicks off the ground. Should one side be weighted more than the other, the teeter-totter motion can be difficult to achieve. Even greater enjoyment came when balance takes place and both suspend in the air remaining in equilibrium. This took much concentration, near equal weight on each end, perseverance, dedication and teamwork.
Life can resemble the mechanism of the good ole teeter-totter. One side sits the world and all its troubles (pretty heavy in weight). On the opposing side sits you and all troubles weighing down the spirit. When gathering all the world issues, disappointments received and living OF this world, more weight drags our side down. The world becomes higher, something we look up to and strive to become part of its way. Never able to overcome the disappointments, daily struggles, brokenness or wounds, we strive for some kind of balance.
The balance sought requires some ‘thing’ to be placed in the middle of the teeter-totter in order to help reach equilibrium and rise from the pit creating underneath. We reach for the world, flesh desires and unhealthy habits. These work great – TEMPORARILY. Each time we fall back down from temporary relief, the ground underneath digs a bit deeper, creating a pit. Implementing such temporary fixes daily in order to survive, leads to even greater disappointment, brokenness and pain. The up and down motion gains in speed due to the fix lasting less and less time with each use.
The moment comes when the pit below us is too deep to come up. We remain down. Crying out for help – the One Who brings balance hears. The One Who must remain between us and the world hears. He only asks for faith, belief and acceptance. All we must do is ask.
See taking Jesus as our Lord and Savior is not a one-time event and done. We must diligently seek Him. In this world there will be trouble, trials and tribulations; but, take heart, our Lord and Savior overcame the world and in His last breath said it is finished. He took care of the heavy load this world places on us. He covered ALL of our sins and released regret, pain, sorrow and destruction. He became the center placed between us and this world.
With God in the center, life can be balanced. His Scripture fills the pit we created by living of this world. His Scripture written for us to soak in daily will lift all who believe out of darkness. Equilibrium seems difficult when the world spins in chaos and turmoil; but, my dear friends, with perseverance, concentration on His Truth, dedication to serve only Him and gathering together in teamwork efforts, His Power will prevail.
Replace the temporary fixes in this world with His Truth – one by one, laid at the cross. He will replace each one with Truth. He will bring balance in life and lead you IN this world; yet, taking you out OF this world. There is mighty work to be done by you, but remaining in the pit dug by the teeter-totter motion hinders such work.
Keep praying harder than the devil can work.
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