A Balanced Life

Alive and Active Life

A Balanced Life

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All it takes is putting your foot in the wrong place – and down you go! It could be stairs, slippery ice, wet pavement, carpet that catches your shoe, a highly-polished floor – or even somebody sticking their foot out in front of you (hopefully not on purpose). Incidentally, putting your foot in the wrong place also applies to a balanced life.

Let’s explore some ideas about maintaining a life of balance.

Balance

It’s so easy to get tripped up. Of course, that gets you off-balance. Unfortunately, losing your footing in life issues can mean a nasty fall. Plus, it may mean weeks to heal – or longer. Subsequently, balance is critical to have an Alive and Active Life.

Balance is true for all areas of life.

• Maintaining healthy relationships.
• Duties you manage.
• Responsibilities you carry out.
• Managing your career load.
• Keeping your home and property up.
• Meeting financial obligations.
• Engaging clear and healthy communication.
• Doing something you enjoy.
• Eating well and exercising.
• Getting rest and relaxation.

All these things (and more) pull at your time and energy. Eventually, your priorities can easily get mixed up as life happens. The wear and tear of daily living is endless.

Some Questions For You

1. How do you stay balanced and focused?
2. Have you found ways to combat fatigue and fear?
3. What helps you rise above the wear and tear to keep first things first?
4. What tactics have you engaged to avoid old, unhealthy patterns?

There’s a very “old answer” to staying balanced, and it’s pretty radical. It puts you on a path many people don’t travel. Yet, this path helps you with –

• Balance.
• Focus.
• Fatigue.
• Fear.
• Wear and tear.
• Tactics.

This “old answer” comes from principles in Scripture.

A Balanced Life

So, how do you develop a balanced life? Further, how do you maintain it? If it’s so important, it must be worth pursuing.

First, it’s helpful to remember God also values balance. Interestingly, He’s a very unique Person – balanced in every way. Everything He does is balanced and orderly. In fact, He created the world in orderly fashion. Incidentally, studies in science reveal the sometimes fragile presence of balance. Interestingly, we also see the incredible and artful creativity of all God does.

Second, as God’s dear child – and as His friend – He designed you to live with balance and order. He just knows it will go better for you when you do. Therefore, He set you up with all you need to succeed.

Now, think about times when you’ve not been balanced. Or perhaps, not organized. What happened? Very often, there are consequences like:

• Missed opportunities.
• Falling behind on a deadline.
• Feeling chaotic about each day.
• Not being able to find what you need.
• Disorientation.
• Sometimes, disaster.
• Relationships suffer.
• Even health can suffer.

So, what does a balanced life look like?

Stay Balanced

First, staying balanced is being centered, and it requires the right beginning. Further, balance needs the right middle. Finally, maintaining a balanced life usually gives you a better ending.

Equally, to maintain a balanced life, it’s critical to have a solid anchor point that won’t shift – beginning, middle, or ending – whenever life shifts. Incidentally, this solid anchor point is –

• Strong.
• Steady.
• Stable.
• Safe.
• Secure for your heart and mind.

Essentially, all this means peace.

Finally, you also need a renewal point. Actually, it’s simply a pause in which you can regain your balance. Most of the time, this can happen in a few moments.

So, in summary, you need these three things –

1. Be centered – beginning, middle, and ending.
2. A solid anchor point.
3. A renewal point.

Frankly, the only way to stay balanced is to stay in Christ.

Be Centered

So, in review – and to launch us into that “old answer” that comes from Scripture to live a balanced life –

First, we said living balanced is being centered.

Second, we also said maintaining balance means having a solid anchor point.

Third, we concluded you need a renewal point.

It just so happens all three of those criteria are found in a Person. Jesus! As you stay in Him, you stay centered. Additionally, you find He is your solid anchor point. Interestingly, He is also your renewal point.

Subsequently, you find the following things also present in your attempts to live a balanced life –

• Freedom.
• Order.
• Inner peace.
• Purpose.
• Guidance.
• Fellowship with God and other committed Jesus followers.

Interestingly, daily life seems to continually threaten this “centering process.”

The only way to stay centered is to stay in your anchor point, Christ – and be continually renewed in Him.

Your Action Point

You have a critical part to live a balanced life. Essentially, it’s your action point that launches you forward into a balanced life. This action point is your response to how Jesus sets you up for success. Simply, your choice to trust and obey Jesus energizes your very soul as you turn to Him with all your heart. However, this response must be with all your heart.

Your decision to keep Jesus first in every daily detail is that “old answer” to live a balanced life. Oddly, this may sound impractical – which is why few people travel this path. Remarkably, however, it works – down to every detail of your day. Basically, your relationship with Christ is the one thing you can’t do without!

The secret to stay centered is to respond to Christ in every issue of living.

START HERE With 10 Action Points: 

1. First, turn to Christ in every detail and need.
2. Second, come close to Him in sincere prayer – with all your heart.
3. Next, purposefully take His peace into your spirit.
4. Fourth, give Him your troubles and difficulties.
5. Fifth, ask Him for wisdom. Engage action points applying Scripture principles.
6. After that, believe God is working, even where you cannot see.
7. Seventh, rest in His love.
8. Next, do what He puts in front of you each day. This establishes faithfulness in your character, even when you don’t understand.
9. Additionally, rejoice!
10. Finally – relax.

Subsequently, these 10 action points settle your life into balance. So, be zealous toward God in your heart.

Prove You Want A Balanced Life

Since God has already proved His love for you, He doesn’t need to do anything more to establish His good intentions for you.

Frankly, this is about your responses back to Him. Here’s a great suggestion. Instead of “turning back to unhelpful options” – i.e.

• Unsupportive people.
• Disappointments.
• Sad memories.
• Unhealthy habits.
• Worry and anxiety.
• Getting really busy.

–  Turn immediately to Jesus in each situation. That list of unhelpful options throws you off-balance.

Make Jesus your first love, driving desire, and primary passion. When Christ is first in your heart – in the beginning of each day, in the middle of each day, and as you end each day – your life settles into balance.

Although feelings in this process are important, they are not critical. The piece that is critical is faith.

The best way to maintain a balanced life is to humbly be the person God designed and stay close to Christ. What a great “old answer.”

Zeal For A Balanced Life

Look up the word “zealous.” You’ll see words like:

• Active.
• Devoted.
• Diligent.
• Enthusiastic.
• Eager.
• Intense.
• Passionate.

Those words inspire hope. Plus, they make you zealous. Additionally, you gain an Alive and Active Life.

Notice, these words are not feelings. They are choices. As you choose God with zeal, your life becomes balanced – even if unfinished.

KEY: stay close to Jesus. He will faithfully guide you.

Conclusions

Jesus is your eternal reference point. Remember, He brings these things into your life –

1. Being centered – beginning, middle, end.
2. A solid anchor point.
3. A renewal point.

Seems the best answer is still the “old answer” straight from Scripture!

Application Thoughts And Questions

1. Do you think you have a balanced life?
2. What changes could you make to bring more balance each day?
3. Have you adopted that very “old answer” from Scripture?
4. Are you staying in Christ to stay centered?
5. Additionally, do you function with Him as your solid anchor point?
6. Critically, do you also turn to Jesus as your renewal point?
7. Are you zealous for God?
8. Which of these ten action points should you focus on to increase your success?
   1. 1. First, turn to Christ.
      2. Second, sincerely pray.
      3. Next, take in His peace.
      4. Fourth, give Jesus your troubles and difficulties.
      5. Fifth, ask Him for wisdom. 
      6. Then, believe God is working.
      7. Seventh, rest in His love.
      8. Next, do what He has put in front of you.
      9. Additionally, rejoice.
      10. Finally – relax.

For Your Quiet Time

* Portions of this content come from my book – More e-Pistles For An i-Generation Relevant In A Digital Age – a devotional book that takes you through all Paul’s letters that follow 1 and 2 Corinthians. You’ll find practical action points that help you know God better and nurture personal growth. You can find this book in our bookstore: www.aliveandactivelife.org/store.

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Visit our website for resources to get into God’s Word and live an Alive and Active Life.