— 1 Peter 5:8 (AMP)
I remember sitting in my home looking up the word gentle in Strong's concordance and saying, "Lord, You've got to help me!" I thought I could never be gentle. Finally, the Lord began to do a work in me in the area of gentleness. The only problem was that, like so many other people in the body of Christ, I was such an extremist that I couldn't "strike a happy medium."
Once I saw that I was overbalanced in one area, I thought I had to go totally in the other direction. I "adjusted" and "adapted" far too much. I became so "gentle" and "kind" and "patient" that I wouldn't exercise any discipline over my youngest son, who was born after my other children were grown. I also went overboard in my relationship with others. I let things get out of hand in my marriage, my home, and my ministry. I learned from my experiences that one extreme is just as bad as the other. What we must learn in all this is balance.
On one hand, we must not be harsh and hard. But on the other hand, we must not be weak and excessively soft. We must not be irritable and impatient, flying off the handle and acting out of emotion. On the other hand, we must not be so mild mannered that we become doormats and whipping posts for those who will take advantage of us if we give them a chance. There is a time to be patient and forbearing, and there is a time to be firm and decisive. There is a time to "not be angry," and there is a time to display righteous indignation. It is wisdom to know when to do which.
Prayer Starter: Lord, help me to live a balanced life in every area. Please show me any areas where I have gone to an unhealthy extreme. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Support AbidingTV today, we are nonprofit TV ministry.
Post a Comment