Avoid Extremes - The Warrior's Journey®

Virginia Guard chaplain support teams support military personnel in Louisiana. Photo by Coast Guard is licensed under CC By 2.0

It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God  will avoid all extremes.  (Ecclesiastes 7:18)

Maintaining a balanced life is an admirable goal, and certainly one the Lord wants us to pursue. Avoiding extremes is critical toward attaining balance. But how?

This verse tells us it starts with fearing God. Fearing God has numerous elements, but in its essence it means to worship and reverence God — and obey Him. His commands are not intended to punish us. Quite the opposite — the Lord wants to help us! Want an example? Consider money. In balance, it’s good. We all need it. But Scripture warns in 1 Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

Here’s another illustration that applies to many warriors who practically worship physical fitness. 1 Timothy 4:8 says “physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” God is not saying physical fitness is not important. He’s saying that pursuing godliness is more important.

The answer: “It’s good to grasp one and not let go of the other.”


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