We all know about "moments of weakness." We have situations in which our strength fails us and we do something we should not have done, where we want what we should not want or we say what we should not say. In simple words, we fail.
Moments of weakness are a big issue for any serious person. In our jobs, they are big because they can have very large consequences. We can lose a job by a moment of weakness, even if we have otherwise done very well.
In our societal role, moments of weakness can be very damaging. A moment of anger may lead to prison. A moment of drunkenness may lead to jail or losing the privilege of driving. A moment of distraction may cause an automobile accident. A moment of fear may label us "cowards" for life.
All day, every day, I face moment after moment of potential disaster. I turn left several times a day, usually with a car approaching from a decent distance, but what if I am wrong? I drive past pedestrian walkers every day, but what if one of them steps out in front of me? I handle legal issues, write letters, give advice, on which people will rely. What if I am wrong?
I go home to my wife, where every "moment" is one of potential risk. I might be too short with her or, oddly enough, too "loving," leading to some kind of dispute. I might be too slow on some issue or too fast on some other issue. I might have forgotten something I should have remembered. I might say something I should not have said.
My life, in other words, is a constant minefield of dangers. There are billboards I should not look at too long and actresses who ought to wear more clothing. There are so many chances to lie, to exaggerate, to brag, or to gossip. Sometimes, I think the only way to avoid sin is to just stay in bed, which would also be a sin.
Two thoughts.
First, I must realize and accept that this is the life God has given me, and that He has given every other person in the world. We all walk this way. We are all in conversations where we might say something wrong and, all too often, someone else does say something wrong. We make decisions that hurt others and they make decisions that hurt us and, too often, we are both angry. I must be patient with other people in their moments of weakness, because I certainly need them to be patient with me in mine. I need to know that a man might snap at me because of a moment of weakness, not because he is evil. I need to judge my brethren in charity.
Second, I must realize that only God can make any sense of all of this. I do not know how it would be to live such a life without Him, to walk without His word, to serve without His strength, to fall without His grace. Moments of weakness beset me and surround me, as both the world and I try to cope with all the things going on around us, but God remains above it all. He has no moments of weakness, yet is remarkably kind to me in mine. He never fails, yet is faithful and just to forgive my failures.
How amazing that we who share the flesh of the world are so unforgiving, so bitter, so quick to anger, so slow to be patient. Yet He Who is above it all is always ready to forgive us, always slow to anger, always filled with patience toward us.
Moments of weakness are just part of my life, but God is my life. He makes my feet like the feet of the deer, to climb into the high places. I could never get there otherwise.
Moments of weakness are a big issue for any serious person. In our jobs, they are big because they can have very large consequences. We can lose a job by a moment of weakness, even if we have otherwise done very well.
In our societal role, moments of weakness can be very damaging. A moment of anger may lead to prison. A moment of drunkenness may lead to jail or losing the privilege of driving. A moment of distraction may cause an automobile accident. A moment of fear may label us "cowards" for life.
All day, every day, I face moment after moment of potential disaster. I turn left several times a day, usually with a car approaching from a decent distance, but what if I am wrong? I drive past pedestrian walkers every day, but what if one of them steps out in front of me? I handle legal issues, write letters, give advice, on which people will rely. What if I am wrong?
I go home to my wife, where every "moment" is one of potential risk. I might be too short with her or, oddly enough, too "loving," leading to some kind of dispute. I might be too slow on some issue or too fast on some other issue. I might have forgotten something I should have remembered. I might say something I should not have said.
My life, in other words, is a constant minefield of dangers. There are billboards I should not look at too long and actresses who ought to wear more clothing. There are so many chances to lie, to exaggerate, to brag, or to gossip. Sometimes, I think the only way to avoid sin is to just stay in bed, which would also be a sin.
Two thoughts.
First, I must realize and accept that this is the life God has given me, and that He has given every other person in the world. We all walk this way. We are all in conversations where we might say something wrong and, all too often, someone else does say something wrong. We make decisions that hurt others and they make decisions that hurt us and, too often, we are both angry. I must be patient with other people in their moments of weakness, because I certainly need them to be patient with me in mine. I need to know that a man might snap at me because of a moment of weakness, not because he is evil. I need to judge my brethren in charity.
Second, I must realize that only God can make any sense of all of this. I do not know how it would be to live such a life without Him, to walk without His word, to serve without His strength, to fall without His grace. Moments of weakness beset me and surround me, as both the world and I try to cope with all the things going on around us, but God remains above it all. He has no moments of weakness, yet is remarkably kind to me in mine. He never fails, yet is faithful and just to forgive my failures.
How amazing that we who share the flesh of the world are so unforgiving, so bitter, so quick to anger, so slow to be patient. Yet He Who is above it all is always ready to forgive us, always slow to anger, always filled with patience toward us.
Moments of weakness are just part of my life, but God is my life. He makes my feet like the feet of the deer, to climb into the high places. I could never get there otherwise.