October 25

Divine Equilibrium

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  ––John 14:26-27

Life has both hard and soft edges. The hard edges include things like blocked goals, a missed financial opportunity, disappointing medical news, and dreams that haven’t come true. The softer edges include loyal friends, a loving spouse, a safe home, and a great job. The hard part is getting the balance right, particularly in regard to expectations. On one hand, we all know that life is not one, long, blissful stroll—it’s more like a rollercoaster you’ve never ridden before, with twists, turns, and unexpected drops and rises.

The hard truth is that even the most organized and intelligent people—try as they might—can’t plan for and respond perfectly to every contingency life throws at them. For God’s men, it’s not about controlling every possible scenario, but learning to accept the things we cannot change, change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference. (Thank you, Alcoholics Anonymous, for that great insight.)

Most men learn to balance the good with the bad and the routine with the unexpected. Like most things in this life, we learn by doing. God’s men are no different—but, we have a secret weapon in the Person of the Holy Spirit. As today’s opening verse tells us, He “teaches us all things”—meaning, we have access to God’s wisdom and direction each day, from the moment we open our eyes in the morning until the moment we drift off to sleep at night.

To be a Christian is to be susceptible to all the hurts and disappoints that affect everyone else. But when we have the Holy Spirit, we have a significant advantage. Life doesn’t become perfect, but it has deeper purpose. We will die like everyone else—naked and alone in the grave—but we have the hope of eternal life. But the benefits of living in God’s Kingdom don’t begin when we die. Having the Comforter and Helper with us means we have a powerful force on our side. Life remains chaotic, unpredictable, and painful because we live in a fallen world, but the hard edges don’t hit quite as hard; the soft edges are accentuated because in spite of the pain of this world, we have living inside us the Spirit of the Lord.

When we have the Holy Spirit, we have what I like to call divine equilibrium. Like a gimbal device that keeps a camera steady even while shooting in rough terrain, the Holy Spirit provides us with an internal balancing system that helps us navigate the twists and turns, the unexpected pits and divots.

Man of God, even if the hard edges of life seem to far outweigh the soft edges, now that the Holy Spirit indwells you can invite Him into every dilemma and problem. When you do, He will provide you with the divine equilibrium you need to navigate even the most difficult pathways.

Father, thank You for giving me access to Your Holy Spirit. I ask Him today to guide me and provide me with the divine equilibrium I need to navigate life’s unexpected twists and turns