How to Balance the Myriad Aspects of Life

What an ugh-filled year. We’ve lived pandemic for twelve plus months. After lockdowns and shutdowns, layoffs and closings, masks and restrictions, sickness and tragic lives lost, we catch a glimpse of light shimmering at the end of our long travelled tunnel. With folks rolling up sleeves to receive the rolled out vaccines, the air echos with sighs of relief at the prospect of unmasking and moving on with life in a “more normal” fashion.

Yet, despite the challenges of isolation, computer relationships, and groundhog days, a chorus of whispers express an unexpected sentiment, “I’m not sure I’m ready for normal. I’m not sure I want all that back in my life.”

How do we reopen our lives without the floodgates releasing a flurry of life-full-on stress and activity enough to drown a master swimmer? How do we reckon our previous year’s slower pace with the step back into rushing and going and doing?

Back we go to the difficulty of balancing the myriad aspects of life. We no sooner get one phase of living figured out when another season marches in with bells and whistles, throwing us new gizmos to juggle, presenting new challenges requiring new strategies.

To beef-up balance, the world offers pie charts, priority lists, and bulging planners. These hold merit, but none hit the core of a balanced life. What seems balanced today morphs into chaos tomorrow. A blast of harsh-reality life winds shred our planners, tossing the scattered, torn pages across the landscape. 

Scripture may reveal a balanced life being myth. Check out Jesus’ life. Our human perspective asks, “How balanced are throngs of people pressing in at every turn? How sensible squeezing eternity-changing depths of teaching into three short years? Do we agree with the strategy of training only twelve uneducated, unpolished, low on the social totem pole men to carry on the work and ministry of the Son of God? How balanced is the concept of laying down Your life for undeserving, sin-drenched, rebellious souls?” Ka-thunk go the scales of balance.

But, Jesus did not live by checklists and planners. He did not stress over balancing His time between prayer and recreation and family and ministry. Jesus’ balance came from within. His steps flowed with the leading of the Spirit, in continual conversation with the Father. He marched in step with His Father doing only the things He saw the Father doing. (John 5:19)

True balance results from the peace of God within us balancing the chaos of life around us. Read that again. The crazier life gets, the more quiet time with Him we need. The more life’s hards press in, the more we press into Christ. Peace thrives in the mindset that everything we plan or take on stays under the authority and direction of Christ and His sovereign right to change anything. Anytime. When we accept and know He has ultimate authority over our life, we shrug at changes and unexpected turns because we know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Phil 4:13) He prepares and equips us for everything He ordains in our lives.

So, as life opens up, and the pace picks up, and activities pile up, we lift our eyes up. Focusing on the One who administers peace, strength and wisdom in accordance to our need. Waiting upon the One who dispenses discernment in what to take on and what to lay down. Seeking the One who releases us from the burden of yokes put on us by any other hand than His. Trusting the One who multiplies our ability and perseverance to complete tasks to which He has called us.

When things get crazy, our tendency is to put Jesus on the back burner, go into fifth gear, and superwoman our way through. But our cape does not cover our tattered souls, nor does our mask cover the exhaustion and anxiety we carry. Any moment or season we find life chaos and pressure increasing, we balance with increased pursuit of God’s presence, acquiring more divine peace within.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash