Balanced Living

Life is a juggling act as we attempt to balance self-care, work, family, friends, housework, recreation, and hundreds of other responsibilities. Sometimes it seems overwhelming. Other times it may seem impossible.

Here are a few tips that help us to live a more balanced life. Since my knee surgery brought my workaholic tendencies to a screeching halt last summer, I’ve been forced to learn how to balance my life a little better. Hopefully, these tips will help you achieve balance in your life in a less painful way.

Slow down. I used to hurry to every appointment, race through my work and errands, and multi-task. Then my knee gave out, and I can no longer run anywhere. Many tasks that were once easy are now challenging. I’ve learned that slowing down can be calming and peaceful when we allow ourselves to savor the journey. I’m much more observant of the beauty around me now, and I’m better at not sweating the small stuff—and most of it is small stuff.

Prioritize. If you put God at the top of your list, He will help you balance your life. Ask Him to help you know how to manage your day, your life, your career, your home. He is the supreme Counselor, and He is only a prayer away.

Seek after peace. As we learn to love God more fully, we will radiate His love and peace to others. We can consciously seek after peace and ask God to show us how to live so that we can attain it.

In Psalms we read:

Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from deceitful speech.
He must turn from evil and do good;
he must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (Psalm 34:12-17).

Live quietly. One way to enhance our peace of mind is to monitor the many voices that we hear each day through the media. Some are constantly bombarded with noise. Cell phones, I-Pods, radio, television, Internet, and many other technologies can distract or distance us from the Spirit. As we are more selective about the voices and sounds we allow into our hearts and homes, we experience greater peace and our lives become more balanced.

God has a plan for each of our lives. As we accept His will and seek to serve as His instruments, we will not always be able to do everything we want to do and all that others ask us to do. As we quiet the voices around us, we also need to quiet our lives—to live more deliberately and mindfully,

Over-commitment and unbalanced living can destroy peace of mind, marriages, and families. Satan wants to keep us out of balance, for he knows that if we are out of control, we are more vulnerable to his attacks. God warns us of this in 1 Peter 5:8, saying, “Be well balanced…for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring…seeking someone to… devour.”

Scripture describes Jesus as a child who “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” Clearly, the Savior showed us how to live a balanced life. After he healed the sick and fed the multitude, He told His disciples to send the multitude away. Then, He retreated to a mountain to pray.

If at times Jehovah himself needed to slow down and allow time for spiritual rejuvenation, we can follow His example and do the same. As we balance our lives, we gain the strength to fulfill our work on the earth with joy and courage.

© Carol Brown