Who hasn't used the expression "mood swings", talked about feeling down, or being on a sugar high?
We are used to this idea of fluctuation in our lives.
Our value is used to swings too, just like a pendulum.
The American Heritage Science Dictionary defines a pendulum as a "mass hung from a fixed support so that it is able to swing freely under the influence of gravity."
Let's say that I am the "mass" hanging from Jesus Christ, my fixed support, but the chains that hold my swing are made up of those things that make me feel good about myself. If I do nothing, there is no movement, but if I grab hold of those chains and lean backward, I will start to move.
Or I could just be sitting there, minding my own business, when someone comes behind and gives me a push. Caught off guard and maybe not even wanting a push, my swing has been swung and, needless to say, movement has been triggered. Gravity acts as an outside force; it pulls me down, while another force keeps me swinging up again in the other direction. For a second, I hit the heights, and then I'm down for another swing. The longer the chains, the bigger my swing. Without gravity, without a push, without chains, my swing wouldn't exist.
You've entered the pendulum effect.
In real life, it might go something like this:
Someone or some ones whom you admire just ignored you. Secretly feeling irked by this, you begin to think that you must not be worth enough for them to notice you (just got bumped from behind). That hurts and makes you feel bad about yourself. "What's wrong with me," you think, "why would they not acknowledge my existence?" (it may have been a push that got you started, but now you've grabbed hold of the chains and you're pumping the swing)
What should you do now?
If you are anything like me, you won't do the smart thing. Instead, you'll probably dwell on how bad it feels to be undervalued, think about how wrong they are to misjudge you, try to understand why you're not worth their attention.
In full swing now, the argument in your head intensifies. Negative thoughts about yourself pull you down to a dark place where you encounter anger, accusation and blame. Your pursuit becomes this: Can you convince those around that you are worthy of their attention? Can you convince yourself that you really are important, that you really do matter? You might succeed, but it will never last. Why? Because you are swinging, and what goes up always comes down.
Where is Christ in all this?
So engrossed in the swing, you've forgotten about the support that is holding you.
What would happen to your pendulum if it wasn't hanging from anything?
What would happen to your swing if you took away the chains?
