The circus can conjure up all kinds of memories for us- the light hearted moments with the clowns, the bravery of the lion tamers, and the dexterity of the animals all amidst the aroma of popcorn and cotton candy. But there is always one moment in the show when silence takes over pushing people to the edge of their seats- the moment when the tightrope walker takes the first step onto the wire.  I believe it’s because we all understand on some level that our individual lives are a balancing act, too.

We are always trying to do the right thing for our families, for our friends, for our career, and for God. With each step, we wonder if it’s the right one or if our misstep will throw everything else off balance. And to make it all the more difficult, as we walk along our tightrope called life, things are thrown at as from all sides, seemingly trying to knock us down. Things from little annoyances to full blown life changing drama, all disguised as unsolvable problems.

As I envision life as steps on a tightrope, I can’t help but think of that moment for Peter when he stepped out of the boat onto the raging Sea of Galilee.

When Peter stepped out, it was a moment of surrender. As his hand let go of the boat, Peter was giving up control. In his surrender, he was yielding to and trusting Jesus to guide his steps to safely reach the other side of the raging sea. But when Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he faltered and started to sink.

In our striving for balance on the tightrope of life, we too begin to falter when we take our eyes off Jesus and let the realities of the world shake us. In those moments, we must examine ourselves in the light of Jesus and seek to fully surrender our hearts towards Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6 does NOT say, “Trust in the Lord with some of your heart, lean on your own understanding and in some of your ways trust Him.” It’s all or nothing! A balanced life lived for the Lord requires and even demands our surrender.

Surrender looks different for different people, even in similar circumstances. For some, surrender is giving up control, for others it is giving up self-promotion or pride or even our own plans and agendas. Ultimately, it is a daily, transformational process with the Lord. As we falter or start to sink, our first instinct is to grab on tight to whatever we can. But in the kingdom, the real answer to our imbalance is in learning to let go. In our surrender, the circus quiets down, the raging seas quell and our steps are guided safely towards Jesus our refuge, and safety net.

Oswald Chambers describes holy surrender as a personal sovereign preference for Jesus Christ, Himself. Do the actions and decisions we make each day reflect that level of surrender? Is Jesus the focus of our devotion, our priorities, and our surrender? If life seems out of balance, maybe there is something pulling us off kilter that we need to surrender. Search your heart and ask God what you need to surrender in order to walk with Him further and higher than you ever imagined on your own.