Seeking Balance by Cheryl

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mimd and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30 NIV)

     Christ reminds us that we are to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically connected as the person God created and called us to be. Psalm 103:1-5  gives us another example. This scripture also  addresses all four areas of balance. Each area of balance has been noted in brackets.

1. “Praise the Lord, O my soul; [Spiritually]

All my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2. Praise the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all his benefits—[Mentally]

3. Who forgives all your sins

And heals all your diseases, [Physically]

4. Who redeems your life from the pit

And crowns you with love and compassion, [Emotionally]

5. Who satisfies your desires

With good things

So that your youth is

Renewed like the eagle’s.”

My next post will define each area and how it relates back to God.

As long as the earth endures seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. Genesis 8:22 NIV

God created us and the world in balance. Seeking that balance provides for optimal living. Scripture has many convicting truths regarding God’s intention for balance in the world.

The Creation Story reminds us that the earth was created from the beginning in balance: night and day, earth and sky, sun and moon, male and female. Genesis 1-2

When the flood waters receded in Noah’s day, God promised a return to equilibrium in the days and seasons as in the above  Genesis quote.

The writer of Ecclesiastes teaches us that life has a natural rhythm and balance. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

The most convincing for me is when Jesus explains that we are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 NIV

We are to be spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically the person God created us to be. We are given one body, one mind, and one spirit and only one. Doesn’t it therefore, make sense that we should value and care for ourselves? And when we do, wouldn’t the logical result be that we are able to better care for those we love and to accomplish more of what God has called us to do? Therefore, if we are really going to learn how to find the balance that God designed for our lives, doesn’t it stand to reason that spending time with the creator, time in his presence,  best way to learn how to bring about that balance. 

Quiet time with God is the first positive step toward a more joyful and hopeful life, a life in balance. Stay with me as we discover together God’s design for a balanced lifestyle.