balance – The Jesus Chick

It’s a real life struggle to keep my heart and mind in check with my soul.

I attended a music concert the other night, which was a much appreciated gift from a friend. I don’t want to make light of that because I didn’t take it lightly. I went with an impression in my mind of what type concert it would be, and it was not. It wasn’t bad, parts of it were wonderful, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Especially since I am a Java Junkie, and a person with a tender brain when it comes to loud noises.

So I humbly returned home, grateful for the gift but not really looking to buy the guys music. It did cause me to ponder the balance in my own life. Going into the Easter Season should always be a week to pause and reflect on how our lives align with the gospel of Christ and assess our relationship with Jesus.

Job 31:4-6 says [4] Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? [5] If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; [6] Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

If I were to categorize the areas of my life it would be

God
Marriage
Family/Friendships
Ministry
Work

And under each category would be sub categories.

God (Time in the Word, Prayer, Conversation)
Marriage (Relationship, Partnership, Prayer and Finances)
Family/Friendships (Relationships, Awareness, Prayer)
Ministry (Evangelizing, Service, Prayer)
Work (Commitment, Stewardship, Prayer)

As I write those words, I know my families in each category and subcategory. But I believe that in taking a moment in time to reflect on these matters it will help me go into the Easter weekend with a prepared heart.

Let’s look at each of those categories in the shadow of Job 31:4-6

What are the steps I’m taking to Draw Closer to God through each of the Categories. Whether or not they are spiritual or secular doesn’t matter. But it does matter what role God plays in each one.

That was my issue with the concert… I went for spiritual edification and left hungry. There was too much world and not enough Jesus.

How are my Ways?

When it comes to each of my points how am I stepping in each of the relevant areas. Is God leading me? Am I in His Word, shoring up my Spirit in a way that gives me confidence to make the right decisions in my life? Am I communicating with God dual directionally? Meaning am I talking to Him and Listening to Him? I talk much, but my listening skills have never been good if I’m honest. And how is God reflected in my marriage, family/friends, ministry and career. Is God guiding my steps in those places as well so that my ways are His ways? I have to tell you, when it comes to anything outside of my relationship with the Lord Himself, it is not uncommon for me to take off walking alone.

How is my Walk?

Am I walking in vanity and deceit? I have to tell you that this one hit me pretty hard when I think of my attitude towards “stuff” and the desire to have more of it, my concept of what I should take far more serious when dealing with friends and family and how I should be more aware of what’s happening around me that might effect their relationship with God. It is so easy to be deceived by this world that there are things that matter and things that don’t and there are things that matter far more than I am paying attention to them.

How is my Weight?

Let’s not talk about how much I physically weigh, that is definitely something that needs attention! But let’s consider how we’re going to be weighed in the balance as Job describes. Do we have the understanding of how we align with God’s holiness? That is the weight that God’s going to weigh us by. How does our lives weigh in comparison to God’s design for our lives. I have to think about it like this… If God put all my work for Him on one side of the scale, and my work in the world that had no eternal value on the other side of the scale, how would it work out for me.

For me that is a question that I fear the answer…

Luke 16:1~ And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

A modern day version of the unjust steward. An executive is called into the bosses office and accused of misappropriating funds, he’s been skimming money from the boss. He’s given the opportunity to defend himself, but is obviously guilty for he does not protest the accusation, but begins to ponder unemployment. “I cannot dig” he’s an executive, that’s a laborer’s job. He cannot beg in an Armani suit for cryin’ out loud! So what’s a fellow to do?

He goes to people who owe the company money, and what would have normally been his profit or commission from collecting their sales, he knocks that off the top in order to get them to pay and to gain favor from them so that in his hour of need they’ll help him out, (he’s about to be fired!) perhaps offer him a job, or at least a place to stay when he loses his house. He obviously did not take more profit from his boss when he took money off what the people had owed, because in verse 8 it says “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” His lord would not have commended him if he had cost him more money. So obviously the money lost was that of the unjust steward.

A strange lesson, but a valuable one to the church on stewardship.

God has given us a wealth of resources in the church. Every soul that commits to Christ has a gift to offer for service. Every soul! No one is excluded. But we’re wasting it… myself included.

I’ve been struggling lately to keep all my oars moving the same direction. Sometimes I find myself out in the middle of the lake of life going around in circles because one of my oars isn’t moving at all! I am assuming you understand the boat analogy. If you only paddle on one side of your boat, your boat begins to turn. I remember that from my days of john boat riding on the Elk River in Braxton, WV. The same theory holds true if your life is out of balance and we’re not making the most of our resources.

It pricked my heart when I re ad that the “children of the world are wiser than the children of light?” Shrewd business people know how to make the most of their resources. They use everything and everyone they have at their disposal to make a profit and further their goal. Why shouldn’t we? God has given me everything I need and then some to live a balanced and successful life. He placed people in my path to help me, and I’ve failed to. He’s given me talents and tools, and yet I don’t use them for fear of failure. If I was truly trusting in God for everything in my life I’d use everything I have without hesitation knowing that He intended it for my good and His glory. We tend to separate our lives into home/career/church, when in reality it’s our life. Do they not all belong to God?

Jesus told His parents at the age of 12 when they had misplaced Him on their journey Luke 2:49 “I must be about my Father’s business.” He knew then that there was a great work to do, and He knew it was going to get done.

The parable of the unjust steward ends with a stern warning from Christ in verse 11-13 ~ If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Nothing we have on this earth belongs to us. To separate any part of our life is saying that part of it belongs to God, and the other to us. That’s not balance! Balance required equality and the only way we can be equal is to be in Him. The steward learned to give God His share, and share any excess with those he served, counting on his Lord to take care of him. Such a great story! I could learn…

Tag: balance

Keeping my life with Jesus in Balance

All my oars in the water….