“Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually].” (3 John 1:2 The Amplified Bible)
Was God just talking to me this morning? Or is He talking to you as well when it comes to maintaining balance in your life? Well either way, the Scripture above will profit all of us, either now or in the future. It may equip you as you counsel someone else. It is easy to forget the importance of balance.
I know that to be true personally. I was a Social Science major during my undergraduate work, and I took several Psychology classes. Passing test based on course content was not enough, for outside the classroom, it easy to forget the importance of balance. My first semester teaching Psychology at the high school level, I had two classes and after a short period of two years, enough students signed up for Psychology that the school had to schedule seven classes. I was doing some teaching. But guess what, today’s theme was true even then: “It is easy to forget the importance of balance.” I had started working in the private sector and had to counsel many workers at multiple levels, as part of my job, yet once again, I forgot the importance of balance as it related to me. Let me be transparent. I visited with a counselor a few decades ago, and she shared three things with me that I will never forget. First, she told me that the kilo-watts of energy that went in a person have to come out. That is if you want to live a balanced life. She lectured me with these words, “Stop being so cognitive.” Second, she pointed out that nothing really negative or devastating has to occur to mess up your balance. The third thing she told me was that people need to focus on our relationship with God; a spiritual focus. And, we have to spend some time focusing on our physical condition the best we can. She said we needed social connections in the means of friends. Of course she pointed out that one has to actively love their family members, spouse and children. She spoke of love as agape love, and she referred me to the passage in I Corinthians. I inserted it below as our closing passage. Lastly, she said make sure you have some fun, legitimate fun, and enjoy sharing laughs with others. Now keep in mind that this advice came after my teaching experience and subsequent to my private sector experience. The bottom line: I needed to remember the importance of balance.
As a pastor since 1990, there are times, admittedly, when I am still too cognitive, and I forget the advice of the writer of John’s epistle above and the things the counselor shared with me. Oh when that happens even pastors can get trapped in a fog, enslaved by frustrations that supersede your patience, and you really don’t feel like yourself. Recognize that happening my friend when it occurs in your life, and remember to achieve balance in your life. God will still come first!
How timely is this meditation? I think very timely. “Why so?,” you may ask. Here is why! The pandemic put a pause on our healthy, balanced life habits. Related to the pandemic, and world affairs, and rising inflation that have compounded our world, many have resigned from their jobs, many have been regulated to work at home with no social interaction, and many have become reclusive just to assure health and safety. Church fellowship has suffered in a negative way, and that is the place to go and be encourage by the saints and in the special presence of the Lord! We worry about the welfare of loved ones to the point that it takes on a form of anxiety, either consciously or unconsciously. Retirees naturally become restless unless one purposely does some things to stay active. Oh, I could go on, but you get the point, don’t you. If not let me “spell it out” for you. Don’t forget the importance of balance.
A challenge? Yes, but let’s figure it out. For if we stay balanced, we will be better personally, and consequently better witnesses for the Lord. Let’s all say this breath prayer aloud, “Help me Jesus!” Don’t worry! He will! Be blessed!
“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.” (I Corinthians 13:4-7 The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King