LIVING IN THE TENSION

Living in the tension

Visualize a figure suspended in space between opposing forces.  It is floating, slowly spinning, reacting to any movement away from the center of the forces’ orb, by relocating back to center.  If somehow it were to fail to respond to this correction, it would go flying out into a dark void, perhaps irretrievably.

What are these opposing forces?  mercy and holiness, patience and perfection, growth and goodness, love and law, reality and possibility, … they all hold, in suspended protection, this life force as it evolves into its destiny.

But, for some reason it is desirable to gravitate toward one or the other, it seems.  Why?  Impatience?  Ignorance? Some other outside force?  Living in the tension is uncomfortable, on one level; but, on another level it is stimulating and soothing, all at once.

To violate this balance is destructive to individuals, groups, thinking, actions.  Warped, damaged, mutated perversions form too quickly, and the original ideal is lost.  In fact, it is seen as an evil aberration of the new center.  All frame of reference is lost, and soon, the darkness is somehow not only accepted, but approved, and accentuated.  The “truth is exchanged for a lie”.  

Long ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote –

Woe to those who call evil good

    and good evil,

who put darkness for light

    and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

    and sweet for bitter.

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

    and clever in their own sight. (Isa.5:20-21)

We run the risk of fulfilling this ancient prophecy afresh in our dark times.  We are so very clever in our twists and turns.  We redefine words and re-imagine reality.  We refuse to live in the tension, and rather, go spinning out of control into our own worst nightmare.  Between the forces is protection and provision, direction and discipline, refining and refreshing.  Beyond is darkness and destruction, mutation and misery, chaos and confusion.  The hands of God are healing and weaning, pruning and dunging, refining and molding.  Stay there.  Do not move to the right or to the left.  Rest in His hands.