“Don’t trade your peace for progress.”
(Breathing Room, Sandra Stanley. p.9)
Balance….
What
is balance? We all talk about it. We all strive for it. But what is it? And most importantly how do
we achieve it?
I
recently delved into this topic in a 28-Day devotional by Sandra Stanley called
Breathing Room. This daily study really helped me put perspective
on this topic. I am by no means an expert, but with intentional choices
and discipline I’ve been able to implement some basic principles into my life
and I am seeing more balance daily.
I
picture balance as walking across a beam - eyes closed, arms stretched out from
my side, calm peaceful music playing and breathing deeply - complete focus on
crossing the beam. Is it hard? At first, YES! But just like doing anything well, it takes
discipline, determination, and practice.
The more I intentionally do it, the easier it gets.
Now,
picture this… You’re standing in the middle of your house - loud music streaming
from somewhere, your kitchen piled high with mess, your living room in chaos,
you don’t even want to look in your kids’ rooms, your bathrooms long overdue
for a thorough cleaning. You’re trying to decide what to tackle first
when the buzzer goes off on the oven timer signaling you did accomplish
something today. On your way in to pull
supper out of the oven you hear an alarm going off on your phone reminding you
of some upcoming appointment, then your phone starts pinging from incoming
texts. You stop to answer them knowing if you don’t do it now you will
forget and it won’t happen. A quick
reply turns into ten minutes and a jolt when you realize smoke is pouring out
of the oven - supper ruined. You sink to
the floor sobbing. You feel overwhelmed
like nothing you do is done well and everything is out of control. How
can you possibly juggle all life throws at you?
Juggling
or Balancing? How do we change juggling into balancing? How do we go from Chaos
to balance? Is it even possible?
God
created us to need balance and rest. He thought about it and planned rest
into creation week. He created night so we could rest and rejuvenate for
the next day. Not only did He create rest (night) at the end of each day,
He also created a whole Rest Day at the end of each week with the intention of
us having down time and specifically time to spend in God’s word refreshing our
outlook on life and renewing ourselves.
“Remember to observe the
Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary
work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your
God. On that day no one in your household may do any work… For in six days the Lord made the heavens,
the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day He rested.
That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as
holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11, NLT)
God created us to need balance.
He built it into the very essence and rhythm of life - daily and weekly.
“In this need for rest, we find a regular reminder that we need Him.
We need Him to provide for us, without us working exhausting
overtime hours. We need Him to maintain friendships through
seasons when we must prioritize family. We need Him to validate
our worth apart from how our lives compare to our friends’ lives. When we
follow God’s Sabbath rule we allow Him to meet our needs while we experience
the peace of a Pace with breathing room and balance.” (Breathing Room,
Sandra Stanley, p. 19)
Balance
comes with prioritizing, and that looks different for each of us. It also
looks different to us during different seasons of our lives. What your balance looks like with small
children in your home is vastly different than when you have teenages in your
home. Be kind to yourself, don’t get caught in the comparison trap. Don’t look at your friends and neighbors and
wish you were in their shoes. They are
not you and their needs are not your needs.
When
prioritizing, write it down. Draw three circles, your circles should look
like a target with the inner circle being the bullseye.
- Inner Circle:
Roles that only you can fill.
- Examples: wife,
daughter, mother, sister, aunt
- Next Circle:
Roles that you do uniquely, but could be replaced with some effort
- Examples: Employee, Bible
study leader
- Outer Circle:
Roles which you are easily replaced
- Examples: committee member,
class participant
(Breathing Room, Sandra
Stanley, p.122)
Remember… it is okay to
say “No” to whatever is pulling you from your inner circle. The no
will not always be no. just no for this season of life. An
opportunity will rise again. Maybe then you can say Yes. Keep your focus
on your inner circle first and foremost. Some people/things in the outer
circles may be forced out of your life for a season, but remember this:
You CAN’T afford everything but you CAN afford anything.
Your time is limited so
you can’t pour time and energy into everything you would like to BUT you can
choose what you want and pour your time into anything. Choose wisely,
your balance depends on it., and remember no for now does not mean no for
always.
Trust
God, He created you to need balance. Prioritize and trust Him to do more
with less. You might be surprised hour your life will turn from a circus
of juggling to the tranquility of Breathing Room and Balance. As you see
God meet your needs despite your fears of missing out or falling behind, we
grow more confident that He can be trusted.
Balance
takes discipline. It’s hard work.
But persistently and intentionally pursue breathing room in all areas of
your life and you will find the balance you crave.
- Honali Marin