Balancing Act

Have you ever had "one of those days" where things just don't seem right? You know the kind; you hit the snooze one too many times, in a hurry you jump in the shower only to realize that there's no shampoo and a towel is no where to be found. Then rushing to make it out the door, into the car and down the street you notice things like shaving, breakfast and your wallet were all left behind not to mention hugs and kisses. Merging onto the highway sometimes feels as if you’re swimming up stream. Traffic slows to a crawl and when you arrive to the point where you expected to see wreckage or something there's nothing there. Fighting your way through the rest of your commute pushing the boundaries of traffic laws and regulations you arrive at the workplace only to find that the little thing you put off has grown into a full blown catastrophic event and it needs to be done yesterday if not sooner. So you decide you better pick up the pace to satisfy the demand as if things weren't moving fast enough already. The rest of the day is spent tackling the stack of items on the to do list, fighting your way back home only to be reminded that there's practice or a game to get to and dinner will have to wait. Herding the kids back home to get cleaned up and ready for bed takes the coordination of minor military campaign. And when you finally get to sit down and get some food and quite conversation with your wife you just can't seem to work up enough brain cycles to contribute anything worth while then it's time for bed and before you know it starts all over again! Any of this sound familiar or am I the only one?

Over last few years I have had the chance to look at where my priorities and commitments lie and you know what I found? It's not necessarily that they were wrong but instead incomplete or out of balance. My commitments aren’t different than anyone else’s for instance; commitment to my Lord, Mark 12:30 says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Commitment to my family, 1 Timothy 5:8 says “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Commitment to my church, Hebrews 10:24-25 says “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Or my commitment to my work, Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…” Maybe you can relate to this and you’re like me that my commitments sometimes get out of balance.

So how do we stay balanced? One of the most valuable things I have ever learned is that when life seems out of order I need to stop and take the time to consider what’s misaligned and work toward correcting it. I find that if I set aside the time daily to read God's word and really soak it in and to pray for setting things right I get the strength to put into practice what the Lord has in mind for me. I also find that if I meet regularly with another guy that has similar commitments it helps me stay focused and accountable. My hope is that you will consider taking life to next level, join a Bible study group, get involved in each others lives or simply walk across the room and get to know someone new. Life is too short, too hectic and sometimes moves way too fast to miss out on what God has to offer through the relationships we have. There are plenty of opportunities, check out your local Bible believing church and get involved.