Balance Defined

Posted by Dianne | 0 comments

Balance Defined

I have to laugh that the Lord has me writing a column about balance. I am the least-qualified person I know to do this. Yet isn’t that just like God? He uses the weak to show Himself strong. When it comes to a balanced life, I am certainly weak. I pray that He shows up big in your life through whatever He says through these words.

What does it mean to live a balanced life? Too often, we have goals that aren’t clearly defined. As with many life issues, balanced living will vary for everyone, making it a bit vague to outline. Does a balanced life mean that you accomplish everything you wanted in a day? Does it mean that you give equal attention to all areas of your life? I cannot answer this question for you; it’s something that you’ll have to discover for yourself. It may not be a quick and easy answer. It may take you some time to work though your own personal meaning of balance. Things of value usually do require something of us. But I believe it will be time well spent.

First, you need to assess how you spend your life right now. I’ve found that writing things down can bring greater clarity. On a piece of paper (real or computerized), jot down what you do each day. Think back over the past few days or the previous week. Upon what was your time spent? If that’s not a good sampling of time, begin to make note of what you do each day for the next few days. As you look through your list, identify the items of importance and value to you. Also indicate which items weren’t very meaningful, or occupied more of your time than they should.

Is the majority of your time used for things of significance? Or do trivia and minutiae consume the bulk of your life? This is where you’ll discover your balance quotient. If the trivial and unimportant matters of life occupy the greater portion of your time, your life will be out of balance. When your time is spent on the things that matter most, you’ll feel more balanced. As you work through the worth of your tasks and responsibilities, seek God’s input. Sometimes we think something matters more than He does. Sometimes it’s the other way around. If we want to find balance, our plans need to align with God’s.

Planning will help you do what is needed, but there must also be room for God to reach down and alter your “to do” list. It’s a tenuous relationship between plans and flexibility. “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” I like to create my task list for the day, then quietly raise that before God, asking Him to do as He desires with my day, trusting Him to do what is best.

Once you have determined what a balanced life means to you, you can use that as a filter through which to view your choices. Is this task or responsibility one of value to you? Will it keep you focused upon your priorities, or will it take you away from them? With that framework, it will be easier to say “yes” or “no” to the opportunities that come your way.

For me, a balanced day isn’t always the one where my day is perfectly delineated by times and check marks on a calendar or “to do” list. It’s one where my primary focus is my family. Homeschool, no, make that learning, happens. The boys really get it – whatever “it” may be. The light comes on and they make connections to the subject at hand. It might be getting past a difficult math concept, or maybe it’s grasping something new about Jesus’ love for them. Maybe it’s getting through a day of strife and conflict, and not losing my cool. Instead, I pray through the issue, responding in love, with kind and gentle words to the anger and frustration of one of my children. It’s not necessarily a lovely, four-course dinner, but a tasty and nutritious meal ready when my husband gets home.

Will I have accomplished all I wanted? Not likely. Will I have done what matters? Most definitely. This can happen with a heart that’s flexible and willing to listen to the Lord’s direction.

“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand, or whenever you turn to the left.”
Isaiah 30:21

Dianne is in the third year of homeschooling with her two middle school boys, ages 14 and 12. She’s been joyfully married for 21+ years. She continually seeks to balance the many aspects of life in a way that glorifies the Lord. In her column “Blueprint for Balance,” Dianne shares organizational strategies for the homeschooling journey. Visit her blog at Bunny Trails.