Finding Balance in the Tension

Striking the Right Chord in Life's Tension

There is a natural tendency in most of us to want to resolve tension. Here’s a short clip of tension and release in music, using Amazing Grace as an example. There is a whole lot that can be explored regarding tension and resolution in music, and when it is done well, it really moves the listener. If there were no tension in the song, you would likely lose interest, and if there were no resolution, you would likely become frustrated.

However, what about tension in other areas of life? If there is tension in your relationship, you should probably seek to resolve it. You don’t want tension in the home, between spouses or parents and children. You may also want to avoid tension in your workplace, with your neighbors, and so on. Though tension can make life more interesting in some settings, you don’t want to deal with it consistently and in multiple areas.

So what do I mean by finding balance in tension? For many years, I played the violin. I was never very good, but I was good enough to sit in the back of the second violin section and be in the string orchestra in high school and play in the symphony orchestra in college. As a violin player, I had to tune my violin every time I played it. To produce the correct sound or pitch, the violin string must have the right amount of tension. If the string is too loose or does not have enough tension, the sound will be flat. On the other hand, if the string is too tight or has too much tension, the sound will be sharp. Therefore, for all string instruments, you need to have the correct amount of tension.

A symphony orchestra typically tunes to an oboe. But the oboe does not play all the notes, only the A. I am not sure about other instruments, but with the violin, once I have the correct pitch for the A string, I can tune all the other strings in relation to it; all I have to do is listen for the harmony. Similarly, if the A is out of tune, either flat (not enough tension) or sharp (too much tension), all the other notes will be equally flat or sharp.

By “Finding Balance in the Tension,” I mean that harmony can be found when you have a proper amount of tension. An oversimplification of this is the notion that when Israel was too “liberal” with their religion and began to worship false gods, Israel was taken captive. (see 2 Kings 17:5-20) On the other hand, when Israel was too “conservative” with their religion, they crucified the Messiah. (John 5:16; Mark 3:4-5)

The truth is often found in the tension, not too liberal, not too conservative, and this means we must be continually tuning our instruments. I would say that the oboe in the symphony orchestra of theology is the Bible, and from it we get the A that we must match, and from the Bible we can tune all other areas of our life.

As I write this post, the debate over the assassination of Charlie Kirk continues to rage online. Some celebrate his assassination, some say he was a martyr, and some say he brought this upon himself. Some argue that no one should be shot because of their ideas, others say that ideas are dangerous and lead to violence, and this is a prime example of how dangerous ideas can be. Many appear concerned with finding someone to blame and to attack. So how should we respond?

Was this the last drop in the bucket? Is this a foretaste of what the liberal agenda will ultimately lead to? Was this exhibit A of the lengths that ultra-conservatives will go to accomplish their political goals? Should we finally pass more restrictive gun laws? Should we arm ourselves in preparation for the coming civil war? Both sides claim that the answer is simple and obvious, but neither side can agree with the other.
So what side should we take?
What should our response be?
How do we navigate this social, political, and religious climate?

I do not have a clear and obvious answer. But I hope that I can offer some tools and perspectives to help you navigate life as it is currently in the United States.

A Prophetic Perspective

This summer, I was camp pastor, and for a week, I explored the story of King Jehoshaphat’s battle against the Moabites and Amonites (and others) as recorded in 2 Chronicles 20. This was the first sermon I preached at my current church, Cloverdale Seventh-day Adventist Church, and it is available to watch on YouTube. You can also read my blog post on 2 Chronicles 20. There is a verse from that passage that I believe is important to remember.

Early in the morning they got up and left for the Wilderness of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Hear me, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be upheld; believe in His prophets, and you will succeed.”
—2 Chonicles 20:20 Berean Standard Bible

I appreciate King Jehoshaphat’s double emphasis on believing in God and His prophets. Not all prophecies are equally clear, but just because prophecies are more challenging to interpret, it should not discourage us from studying them.

I grew up as a Seventh-day Adventist in Brazil. This is significant because, as a Seventh-day Adventist, I grew up listening to preachers who did not shy away from Bible prophecies, and prophecy would often be a topic of conversation. The fact that I grew up in Brazil is also significant because one of the first things I learned about America was its role in the last day events. This might be new to those of you who are not familiar with the traditional Adventist (historicist) interpretation of Bible prophecy. But I am referencing an interpretation of the land beast of Revelation 13:11-18.

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
— Revelation 13:11 NKJV

A super oversimplified interpretation of the lamblike land beast of Revelation 13:11-18 is that it represents the United States of America. All the beasts that come out of the sea are European powers. This beast is from the land, so it is not a European power. Also, the beast is lamblike. The US is a protestant nation, unlike Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and even the divided kingdoms of Europe (see Daniel 2). According to this interpretation, the US starts as a champion for God, for Christianity (followers of Jesus), but then it begins to speak like a dragon, which is not good for God’s people.

In other words, a power that looks Christian, and perhaps for most of its history was a defender of Christianity and its values, will begin to persecute God’s end-time people, perhaps even in the name of Christianity. This is dragon-like behavior reminiscent of the time during the Dark Ages when one dominant religion that claimed to follow God persecuted those who wanted to read the Bible for themselves.

I do not mean this as an attack on any specific religion. I understand that my interpretation could be wrong. The religio-political power that persecuted and put people to death for reading the Bible could be any religion that traces itself back to the Roman Empire. This same beast that received a deadly wound and was healed (Revelation 13:3-4; 13:12) is a religio-political power that almost lost all of its power but has been regaining power and popularity as we approach the last days.

This could be any organization that is both religious and has political power over Europe, and now even in the United States, which has a history of persecuting those who disagree with it, and maybe now has more power and influence than it ever had, especially in relation to the United States. But the lamblike land beast of Revelation 13:11 does not have to be the United States; it could be another global superpower that defends and promotes Christian values (looks like a lamb or has lamblike qualities).

The interpretation of Revelation 13 is not the main emphasis of this post, and a video that gives you a good grasp of this interpretation can be found on YouTube (presented by Pastor Doug Batchelor).

I remember when my father was called to pastor a church here in the United States, that the conference was having a hard time finding bilingual pastors who were willing to move here from Brazil, and part of the hesitation is due to this prophetic understanding of the US becoming a persecuting power in the last days. My father’s willingness to accept the call is also reflective of our family’s value of being mission-focused rather than fear-focused.

Brainwashing?

This week, I watched a video on YouTube where Jocko Willink (former commander of SEAL Team 3’s Task Unit Bruiser) describes how, in the past, brainwashing someone took a lot of effort and was nearly impossible. You would have to remove a person from all their close relationships physically, tie them to a chair, and force them to watch hours of content promoting a specific message. In that sense, brainwashing was more a fictional notion than a realistic threat.

But nowadays, how many people that you know feel lonely and isolated? How many people lack close friends and family they can trust and have difficult conversations and be vulnerable without fear of rejection or judgment? How many people spend hours with headphones on, watching, listening, reading, content? For most of our lives, we had to search for information. Buy books, buy newspapers, turn on the TV at the right time and to the right channel to access information.

Now it is always at your fingertips. Algorithms and artificial intelligence are being used to know you better than you know yourself and feed you whatever it takes to keep you watching, listening, reading, scrolling. Learning from what you click on, what makes you stop scrolling, what you share, and what you save. They feed you more of the same or related things. “They” are continually learning about what makes you tick, your political views, your areas of interest, what you like, and what makes you upset.

I don’t believe this technology was created with evil intent. Companies want your attention, so they create programs and algorithms to learn what you like and what keeps you coming back. You are a puzzle, and a lot of money is invested in figuring you out. I recommend watching The Social Dilemma; they have experts explaining this better than I can.

I am not saying there is a goal to brainwash you; I am saying it could be happening organically. People are lonely, so they turn to their devices, and as it turns out, your attention is one of the most valuable resources in the developed world. So the technology is designed to keep your attention, and this further disconnects you from those around you, which makes you more desperate for connection. But no human being is as good at entertaining you as your device. No living person can hold your attention like the algorithms. So you drift away from real people and spend more and more of your time in your virtual world, where “everyone” agrees with you and holds similar views, and draws you deeper and deeper into whatever you find appealing.

We become radicalized and polarized because we are easily manipulated. We are trapped in our acho chamber and we have locked ourselves in from the inside.

Personal Experience

Last week, I spent 5 days camping with the 7-8 graders from Boise Valley Adventist Academy. From Sunday to Thursday, we had no cell service, no internet, no contact with the outside world. We were more concerned about the length of the hikes and the weather conditions. Our imagination and conversations revolved around bugs, birds, bison, and bears than anything else. Despite the heavy rain the day we arrived and the light rain the day we left, we had a great time. Sure, we were sore, tired, and smelled a bit funky, but it was a great experience for the kids and parents to bond over challenges, push the boundaries of our comfort zones with the cold mornings and long hours spent on our feet. Making our own meals and exploring the beauty of the great outdoors and all of its wonders.

We arrived back home Thursday evening, and after unloading the car and unpacking our wet tent, I showered and had one of the best nights of sleep I had had in a long time. On Friday, I woke up and went to check my phone, combing through all the text messages, voicemails, missed calls, and emails. I finally checked my social media and found out what had happened to Charlie Kirk, plus other horrible things that had happened that week.

Suddenly, there were all these emotions, there was all this speculation online, and definitely some angry and mean-spirited content making its rounds. All of a sudden, there was pressure to choose a side and put people in their place, to pick up the cause and to fight. There were celebrations and tears and everything in between. And just like that, I was barely interacting with my wife (the love of my life) and my children (my most precious treasure here on earth) because I had to learn more about what had happened to someone that I really did not know much about.

Social media was a flurry of activity, friends were attacking each other and blocking each other. Fellow Christians were behaving in unchristian ways towards one another, each one sure that the other one was part of the problem. I felt pressured to take a side, but I was honestly still trying to piece together what had happened. I went from spending no time on my phone to being on it constantly, or at least listening to it as I went about my day. YouTube videos, podcasts, reels, posts from friends, and content from random strangers.

After spending a considerable amount of time on this, I ultimately succeeded in neglecting the people I love most in the world, and I accomplished nothing to help the families of those affected by the tragedies that occurred that week. The tragedy of recent events had become no more than entertainment. I am sure many are profiting from all the time people are spending on devices, consuming the opinions of others and sharing their own, picking battles and hurling insults, blocking accounts, and reporting others.

Worthwhile questions to consider

So here we are, experiencing the emotional toll of going to battle. We experience outrage and righteous anger. Surely those responsible for this must pay the price; they must be held accountable. But what is the final outcome you want? Do you have all the information? Do you know what happened? Do you know the hearts and motivations of those involved? Do you understand all the variables that led to those tragedies?

For all your fighting, for all the attacks, have you brought healing or more division? Are you closer to those around you or lonelier?
Have you spent more time with others or more time alone?
What have you gained, and what have you lost as a result of the horrible events of that week?
Did you finally convince someone who had an opposing view to see things your way?
The emotional toll you experienced reading, listening, watching… what benefits have come as a result?
Do you even know if you’re thinking your own thoughts or the thoughts “they” want you to think?

Sabbath

Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.
— Genesis 2:3 NKJV

God set aside the seventh day and blessed it. God made this day special by sanctifying it; in other words, God set it aside as sacred, for it to be observed as holy. When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He provided them with manna; it would fall six days, and on the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much because no manna would fall on the Sabbath day (the seventh day of the week). You can read this story in Exodus 16.

Exodus 20:8-11 records the commandment of God written in tablets of stone by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18), commanding us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The commandment was not making the Sabbath holy; it was not establishing the seventh day sabbath, but reminding us to keep it holy. Also, it was not only for Israel but for all of creation since the commandment clearly includes male and female servants, animals, and strangers.

There is no command to attend church on that day, but the Bible is clear that it is a day that we are to keep holy. How should we keep it holy? The fourth commandment dictates that we should do no work. Beyond that, Jesus indicates that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:12). For more on the Sabbath, see my posts Exploring the Biblical Sabbath, The Biblical Sabbath, Fact, Fiction and Faith, (other posts that mention the Sabbath).

I remember, in the early days of social media, being asked if it was okay to go on social media during the Sabbath hours (from sunset Friday until sunset on Saturday), and I remember following this question up with several other questions essentially, if the use of social media helped that person grow closer to God or if it was something that shifted their focus from God. Reflecting on my answer, I believe that moving forward, I will be a lot more careful with my use of social media on the Sabbath. Social used to be just pictures my friends posted. Now my social media feeds seem to be made up mostly of ads and viral videos and relatively little of what was posted by my friends.

I grew up not watching secular TV or listening to secular radio on the Sabbath. So if I would not turn on the news during the Sabbath hours, why would I expose myself to it on social media during those precious hours that I have to disconnect from all of those attempts to grab my attention, and intentionally focus my attention on God, my wife, my kids, and those who are near and around me?

What if we think about the Sabbath as not only physical rest from school and work but also as an opportunity to detox from the influence of social media, news, and mindless entertainment? Even if your feed is made up of zero ads or political messaging, maybe your social media feed is made up entirely of funny cat videos. I would still argue that, at best, it is distracting you from connecting with God and others in a meaningful way.

Our grandparents lived just fine without constant updates of all the terrible things happening around the world. How often has the tragic information about suffering around the globe moved you actually to do something meaningful to help? We are being conditioned to see tragedies as mere entertainment. It is cotton candy for the mind. It adds nothing to your life; we ooh and ahh and talk about it, but more often than not, there are better uses for our time.

I believe that standing with a friend or loved one, or even a complete stranger, as you watch a river flow by, is a better use of your time than doomscrolling. Silence allows you to discover your own voice and thoughts as opposed to constantly being bombarded by the thoughts of others, especially those carefully crafted to go viral or catch your attention. Connect with a real human being, it will be slower, clunkier, and potentially awkward conversation, don’t shy away, don’t pull out your phone, lean in, learn to listen and ask good questions, and you will experience a meaningful connection.

Instead of engaging in rage bait online and posting links to articles to support your view, physically talk and listen to someone in real life. Consider that you could learn something valuable from another human being. Entertain the idea that you do not have all the answers and that you could be wrong in some aspects. As young people say nowadays, touch grass.

touch grass (idiomatic phrase): to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions
— Merriam-Webster.com

Remember the words of Paul.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
—Romans 12:2 NKJV

End-time Events?

Are current events signs of the end? One of my most popular blog posts is Exploring Jesus’ Prophecies, where I explore Matthew 24 verse by verse. I also explore Matthew 25 in Apocalyptic Parables. One verse that comes to mind is Matthew 24:12.

Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
— Matthew 24:12 Berean Standard Bible

But keep in mind that these events remind us that Jesus is coming again; it does not mean that the end is here. But these events should serve as a wake-up call to all of us. We should consider what our relationship with Jesus is like. Today is a great day to give your life to Jesus.

Practical Application

In summary, when it comes to my spiritual well-being and religious views, I want to resist the temptation to release the tension, but find a balance in the tension. I would recommend the same for political views. By this, I mean that I never want to assume that I have all the correct answers. I strive to remain open to dialogue and the possibility of being wrong on any topic. One area where I am not flexible is that the Bible is the word of God, and it is the final authority for my life. Everything else is up for debate, and I settle the issues by going to the Bible and seeing what it has to say.

Releasing the tension would be joining one side or the other of the political and religious divide. Once you identify as liberal or conservative, people are all too happy to hand you a script with your views on all kinds of issues. The danger of that is that you surrender your critical thinking skills to the party and begin to simply parrot the party lines. I have observed this phenomenon among individuals who identify as liberal or conservative, both politically and religiously. They seem to stop thinking for themselves and appear unable to see the problems within their party. They have released the tension and outsourced their views to the party/side.

What does finding balance in the tension look like?

When issues arise, I must consider a few key questions.
Does the Bible address this issue?
Have I read the relevant verses in their context?
Is the Bible clear on this topic?
Then I prayerfully ask God for guidance, wisdom, and strength to stand up to what I believe in.

In light of prophecy, I also ask myself, is this something that would lead us one step closer to America becoming a persecuting power? This often involves questions such as, “Would this blur the lines of separation of church and state?” Or, “Should I find myself in the religious minority, could this be used to persecute me?” I prefer to stand up for religious minorities because one day I could very well be considered the religious minority, and I want laws in place to protect my freedom of conscience and freedom to worship according to my convictions and not according to someone else’s religious views/interpretations.

Jesus never used coercion. God gives us the freedom to choose. We should never attempt to force anyone to follow Jesus, the same way that I never want someone to force me to any religious practice.

Here is a quote that was shared with me some time ago.

We are living in the midst of an “epidemic of crime,” at which thoughtful, God-fearing men everywhere stand aghast. The corruption that prevails, it is beyond the power of the human pen to describe. Every day brings fresh revelations of political strife, bribery, and fraud. Every day brings its heart-sickening record of violence and lawlessness, of indifference to human suffering, of brutal, fiendish destruction of human life. Every day testifies to the increase of insanity, murder, and suicide. Who can doubt that satanic agencies are at work among men with increasing activity to distract and corrupt the mind, and defile and destroy the body?

And while the world is filled with these evils, the gospel is too often presented in so indifferent a manner as to make but little impression upon the consciences or the lives of men. Everywhere there are hearts crying out for something which they have not. They long for a power that will give them mastery over sin, a power that will deliver them from the bondage of evil, a power that will give health and life and peace. Many who once knew the power of God’s word have dwelt where there is no recognition of God, and they long for the divine presence.

The world needs today what it needed nineteen hundred years ago—a revelation of Christ. A great work of reform is demanded, and it is only through the grace of Christ that the work of restoration, physical, mental, and spiritual, can be accomplished.

Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.”

There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.
— Ministry of Healing p142-143.

The Ministry of Healing was published in 1905, though I have no doubt those words were relevant when they were published, I believe they are even more true today. Yes, I believe we should vote, but beyond that, we should personally help those who are hurting. Instead of debating people online spend time face-to-face with someone helping with a felt need.

But maybe you feel that prophecy foretold that these things should happen, so why resist it? If the world is all going to burn eventually, why not add fuel to the fire?

It is our duty, as we see the signs of approaching peril, to arouse to action. Let none sit in calm expectation of the evil, comforting themselves with the belief that this work must go on because prophecy has foretold it, and that the Lord will shelter His people. We are not doing the will of God if we sit in quietude, doing nothing to preserve liberty of conscience. Fervent, effectual prayer should be ascending to heaven that this calamity may be deferred until we can accomplish the work which has so long been neglected. Let there be most earnest prayer, and then let us work in harmony with our prayers.
—Testimonies for the Church Vol. 5 p713

Conlcusion

I would like to close with the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NKJV

Find someone to comfort and to edify. Don’t let anyone force you into one position or another. Focus on following Jesus, not a political party. Everyone else is flawed, everyone else has an agenda. Both sides are using these tragic recent events to gain views and clicks, and go viral, and make money and influence others, and sadly, rage baiting is a thing, and some people will say what they must to get views and clicks, follows, and shares.

I strongly recommend you connect with people on a personal level, face to face, physically present, and prayerfully consider how you can be a blessing in their lives. Volunteer, listen attentively, ask questions, and strive to understand those who hold different views. Be curious, be present, I am sure you will find common ground. We all need help of some kind at some point in our lives. It is possible to get along and to make a difference. The best place to begin is with those who are already within your sphere of influence.

Disconnect from the news and social media, touch grass, make meaningful connections in the real world, and most importantly, connect with God. Don’t assume you know God and that you know what the Bible says. Carve out time each day to read it for yourself. I guarantee that you will be surprised by what you find. We are all on this journey together, and all of us have much to learn.

May we all seek God first and above all, and also find at least one person to connect with and help. That is how we make a difference in the world.