More Than What We See: Grace for the Balancing Act

Watching the Olympics, it’s easy to be amazed by what looks like perfection. Skaters landing impossible jumps, spinning effortlessly, making it all look so smooth and controlled. But what we don’t see is the balancing act happening behind the scenes.

Many years before the actual skating lessons but the same place I often ended up!

I roller skated for years as a teenager and even competed, and I can promise you this: nothing graceful comes without a lot of falling first. Long before I had any training, I spent plenty of time sitting on the ground in skates, wondering how anyone ever stayed upright. Progress came slowly, through practice, patience, and a whole lot of getting back up.

Recently, a Canadian Olympic ice skater shared something that stuck with me. She posted on Instagram that she had to ask her college professor for an extension on an assignment—because it was due the same day as the Olympic opening ceremony. She even included a link to a press release as proof that yes, she really was competing in the Olympics. From the outside, her life looks extraordinary. But behind the scenes? Deadlines. Stress. Responsibilities. Balance. In other words - a real-life college student/athlete.

That’s such a good reminder for all of us. The people we admire, the ones who seem to “have it all together,” often have far more going on than we’ll ever know. Which is why kindness and grace matter so much.

Scripture reminds us of this truth:

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:32

And also:

“Let your gentleness be evident to all.” — Philippians 4:5

My pastor shared a similar thought last Sunday. That as followers of Christ, as we've let Him mold and shape us, we then exhibit the Fruit of the Spirit and are able to treat others as He'd want us to.

Life really is a balancing act—for athletes, parents, students, coworkers, and everyone in between. We’re all juggling something. We’re all learning. We’re all a work in progress.

So today, let’s be quick to offer grace—because we want it ourselves. And let’s not be too hard on our own journey either. Falling down doesn’t mean you’re failing. Sometimes it’s just part of learning how to stand.