HOW BALANCED IS YOUR LIFE?

HOW BALANCED IS YOUR LIFE?

 

One of the greatest oxymorons of the twenty-first century is a balanced life. It’s as silly as saying jumbo shrimp. There are simply too many domains of life: personal (finances, leisure, relationships, and education), family, faith, church ministry, vocation, and community to keep all the balls in the air at one time. So, let’s make sure that today’s question is realistic: Think about whether the top three domains of your life are somewhat balanced with a reasonable amount of downtime in between.

 

Simply ask yourself: “Is my life balanced enough to hear God’s plan for my life and carry out what he’d like me to do?” Some days will be better than others, but each day is a brand-new day. Try to make balance more of a habit than an exception. Aim for a simple lifestyle and a content heart.

 

ARE YOU PART OF THE GREAT BALANCING ACT?

 

We can’t be all things to all people, but many of us try to be! Do your obligations include being part of the “sandwich generation” (caring for young kids at home as well as aging parents)?

 

Do your commitments resemble any of these: being a girls’ softball coach, preparing for a board meeting, taking a class, or serving as a lay minister at your church? Do you attend parent-teacher nights, go to the movies with a friend, host bridal and baby showers in your home, or try to communicate regularly with your husband? Are you keeping the Sabbath holy each week? Sandy Bloomfield-Demelli, a former finance business executive, struggled with this issue of balance as much as anyone, as she sought God’s will for her life.

 

SANDY BLOOMFIELD-DEMELLI COULDN’T DO IT ALL

 

Sandy joyfully ministers to both Jews and Gentiles through praying, as well as through writing and speaking about the healing, resurrecting power of Jesus. She has cofounded a Bible study for people in the show business industry, produced Christian events and documentaries, and interviewed top Christian leaders for magazine features. She also hosts a weekly television program, Rocking the Foundations, which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area as well as the Caribbean.

 

Sandy is the daughter of a Jewish father and Protestant mother, and she loves teaching on the Hebrew roots of her Christian faith. She feels that this provides both cultural context for much of Jesus’ teachings and scriptural keys for what remains ahead for believers. She says that she gives the Lord full access to her time, relationships, possessions, vocation, and daily decisions.

 

For years, Sandy’s life was not balanced; her career and ministry overshadowed all other domains of her life. Then, she grieved the loss of her mother to cancer and soon afterward got married after forty-two years of being single. It was then that she began learning firsthand the meaning of balance, as she underwent a complete reordering of her priorities. She melded agendas with her new husband in a new city with new friends in a new season of life. Sandy quickly discovered a great peace by acknowledging that we need both the north wind (blustery, cold busyness) and the south wind (gentle, warm times alone) to release the fullness of our life’s fragrance.

 

She says, “To hear from God about how to live a balanced life daily, we need to spend time on holy ground, continually praying and seeking his will. We must do that before we take our place on the battleground, dealing with the demands and unexpected challenges of life. Just as manna was given to the ancient Israelites on a daily basis, it is only through day-by-day prayer that the Father shares his thoughts about balancing our life domains.”

 

How Balanced Is Your Life? The Proverbs 31 Woman Lived a Balanced Life

 

The woman described in Proverbs 31 is wise, moral, and God-fearing. She is a virtuous wife and mother, resourceful entrepreneur, and friend to the poor. (And then there are the rest of us!) Read Proverbs 31:10–31. Have you ever had a good cry over not being able to keep up with this ideal woman? How about simply focusing on living a balanced life as best as you know how today?

 

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

 

And Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. (Luke 2:52, MSG)

 

SUGGESTED PRAYER

 

Dear Lord Jesus, help me, _________, to follow your example of maturing and growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people. I pray that you will breathe wisdom into me to help me with this tightrope balancing act of life. You know how much I struggle in this area. I know that the time I spend listening to you is fundamental to creating and maintaining balance.

 

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?