“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11:9 & 10 NKJ
During my teen years I was very adventurous and looked for any way to have fun! One year when the circus came to town my friends and I went. After the show I had the brilliant idea of looking for the circus train so we could meet the performers. We drove down to the railroad tracks and began to search for the train. When we finally saw it we were so excited! We jumped out of the car and made our way towards the train. There were all kinds of people moving about. As we approached the train one of the performers said hello and introduced himself. We couldn’t believe this was actually happening!
As we moved about we met several people. I wanted to meet the trapeze and tightrope performers because I was a thrill seeker, and if I was in the circus those would be the acts I would perform. One of the men told us we couldn’t meet them because they didn’t usually socialize like everyone else, because they were mostly families. I was bummed for a minute but then went back to having fun. I didn’t give it another thought until I started writing this devotional and God brought that memory back, because it correlates to the way I lived my life as a Christian for years! Though I never got an opportunity to walk the tightrope or fly on the trapeze in the natural realm, I did both in the spiritual realm, as a Christian for many years. Let me explain.
Walking on the tightrope of Law:
Growing up I felt like I was walking on a tightrope in my relationship with God because of my religious upbringing. I had been taught that I could lose my salvation if I didn’t keep the laws of the Bible and that God was displeased with me when I sinned. So when I was thinking right thoughts, making right choices, and taking right actions, I felt like I had sure footing as a Christian. On the other hand, when I had negative thoughts, made poor choices, and took wrong actions, I felt like I was losing my footing with God. I was constantly trying to regain my balance so I could please God by keeping the laws of the Bible. Unfortunately, the more I focused on trying to stay right with God by keeping the law, the more I found myself unstable in my faith and relationship with Him. At 15 I couldn’t take it anymore and I walked away from my relationship with God and His people and lived a hard life for the next several years.
Flying on the trapeze between Law and Grace:
When I was worn out from living a hard life in the world I decided to come back to my relationship with God. The one thing I learned that made a huge impact on me was the truth that I had been saved by grace, not by my works. But now I found myself in a new predicament. I was like a trapeze artist flying back and forth between law and grace. I would live for awhile being grace filled towards me and others, and then I would fly once again back to the side of law, and judge myself and others, based on works. This was a very confusing time in my life, because I didn’t have a clear understanding of God’s Word. I swung back and forth depending on what I studied or heard and I never lived a life of balance or peace. This pendulum swing lasted for several years.
Finding the balance through rightly dividing the Word and being taught by the Holy Spirit:
A few years ago my husband came across a book titled “Destined to Reign” by Joseph Prince. After reading it he came to me and told me I should read it, but he said I needed to be prepared to have my world turned upside down when I did. So I read it and he was right! At first it was hard to accept what I read, but when I studied the Bible for myself, I realized he was right. I have studied many other teachings on Grace since then that have confirmed what I read in that book. During the last few years I have learned how to rightly divide God’s Word, and I found the balance in understanding the Grace message. I now have peace in my relationship with God and don’t feel like I have to perform to gain His approval or to keep my salvation.
I want to encourage you to take the time to evaluate if you have been walking the tightrope or flying on the trapeze between law and grace, the way I did. Claim Luke 11:9 & 10 and ask God for wisdom in regards to His Word. God is faithful and His Spirit will guide you into truth if you will allow Him access to your belief systems. God promises that when we seek wisdom, we will find it. This is where you will find the peace that passes understanding in your relationship with God. God is not a God of confusion so He won’t tell us one thing in one chapter and then counter it in another. It is man who brings confusion when they take the simple message of the Gospel and add their own rules and regulations to it. God is a God of peace and the Holy Spirit brings peace when we allow Him to teach us His Word.
Prayer: I submit myself to You and believe by faith that when I do You will give me wisdom and understanding. I release my beliefs to You so You can guide me into all truth. If I have false beliefs due to what I have been taught by man, I humbly give over those beliefs. Thank You for being faithful to answer me when I ask You for wisdom and understanding. Amen
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