Gaining and having a balanced life is not an impossible goal. Of course, it’s not easy. It requires a lot of intentional focus and Biblical wisdom. Continuing in our Year of Listening up, here’s 7 resources. They’ll show us how to focus, what it takes, and living Biblically while seeking a balanced life.
What a Balanced Life Requires
Does Life Balance Even Exist? (Glynnis Whitwer at Proverbs 31 Ministries) – Life often gets out of hand and we want to tell the world to just pause for a while. In this post, Whitwer uses Psalm 16:5-6 for showing that God “never meant for our lives to be a jumble of overcommitment.” Instead, God’s plan is peaceful and ordered. It’ll take some boundaries to find that balance though.
Lord Keep Me From the Extremes (Bryant Evans at Preacher’s Study) – Evans uses Proverbs 30:8-9 to teach us seek not poverty or extreme wealth. Using Solomon’s example, Evans shows that he prayed that “God would simply give him ‘the food that is needful.’”
A balanced life is not an impossible ideal. Here’s some resources on focus, what it takes, and living Biblically while seeking a balanced life.
Living a Biblically Balanced Life
How to Live a Biblically Balanced Life (Dr. Steven C. Riser at The John Ankerberg Show) – This post considers the need for and importance of a balanced Christian life. Riser shows that becoming a healthy person isn’t easy because, for one thing, it’s the road less traveled. Although, it’s certainly more than worthwhile!
The Idea Behind Work-Life Balance Is As Old As The Bible (Jill Berman at the Huffington Post) – Both Muslims and Christians similarly follow the Bible’s instruction to take a Sabbath day off of work. Berman uses this article to show many examples of dedication to this ideal. Those moments are often forcing us to make tough choices or miss important moments. However, it increases our effectiveness. And, it prompts us toward better awareness of how we life during the other days of the week.
The Focus of a Balanced Life
Jesus Didn’t Teach Us to Juggle (The Higher Calling) – This posts observes that it is somewhat challenging to find passages that directly speak to the topic of work-life balance. As the author says, “There is no verse that tells me when I’m traveling on the road too much and neglecting my family.” Some of this might be because the very nature of work was much different and it has evolved into something drastically foreign to the ancient world.
Maintaining Balance in Our Lives (Susan J. Knowles at Crosswalk.com) – Living a life that exemplifies the old adage of “balance of mind, body, and spirit” is far from easy. Our world is hectic and a balanced life can be elusive. Knowles offers great perspective on how and where to focus.
The Key to Finding Balance (Diane Paddison at Today’s Christian Woman) – “If you want to have more balance in your life, you need to know yourself well, manage your commitments, and steward the gifts God has given you.” In this post, Paddison unpacks this in more depth to help provide the right focus for balanced living.