Search for balance

too much anything isn't any good. but the balancing act of moderation is so debatable too. how much is too much? and when does one give in?

grace versus resignation.

no one is perfect. all fall short of perfection, and everyone makes mistakes.

we are often told to love one another unconditionally, to be patient with one another, to bear one another's burdens.

that's what i call grace.

but too much grace borders on resignation. this person is like that, that person is like that. the sense of 'nothing's gonna change so why try?' the bottled up frustrations and resentment because of someone else's imperfections.

the feeling that 'i better not speak up cos i myself am not perfect too, so if i want others to show me grace with MY mistakes, i better be gracious to them too.'

and yet we are also told that iron sharpens iron. that we are to build one another up, to correct sin, to rebuke and train in righteousness.

weakness versus laziness.

true, everyone has their own weaknesses. i know i do.

we should be patient with those who are weak, encouraging them and recognising that in their weaknesses, God is strong. that God can work in us despite our shortcomings.

and yet... when it becomes 'aiyah you know i am like that lah. i'm so thankful that you are here to compliment me.', then i feel that laziness has crept in.

too much self-acceptance - if i can call it that? like 'i'm like that - that's how God made me - so i don't have to worry about changing too much. i will jsut try when i can, but if i can't then God will send people that can help me, or He will work in me despite that weaknesses.'

to me, it's almost taking God's grace for granted.

standards versus flexibility.

how to balance these two?

without standards, the world would be in utter chaos. all systems would fail. everyone would do as they please.

so systems are good. they organise people and time and events so that promises are kept, deadlines are reached, decisions are made.

and yet there is a need for flexibiity too. as the popular saying goes, 'change is the only constant'. and God's agenda may require us to change our plans. He may put us through difficult situations, when we have do a total revamp of our plans, just so that we will learn to depend on Him more, and so that He, and not us, is glorified.

i agree with that. i myself have gone through many such times, and looking back can see His hand in shaping my character through the struggle of change.

but when flexibility becomes the excuse for not wanting to set down structures or keep to deadlines, then i think it's too much. when it means saying 'i know i'm late, but maybe God wants to teach you to flex', then i think that's presumptuous. what's to say God doesn't want that person to learn to be structured?

who's to say what and how God works?

i don't deny that God allows, or even engineers, such events for us to grow and learn. but it is rarely just one person who has to do the learning - many times it's everyone involved that takes a lesson away from the struggle.

what a creative God we have! in spite of all these rantings, i am amazed at how He has used the difficulties and struggles in my life to teach me surrender, to show me why true, deep dependance can only be on Him. He alone truly understands.

He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
And hears me when I call

i don't have the answers, but i know He does. i can give thanks for that! =)