I watched my 7-year-old son walk carefully on top of a stone wall at the beach in Bar Harbor, ME this summer. I admired his patience and balance. We got away for a short vacation for a time of bonding, and serenity. We took the Ocean Path Trail along the coast of the Atlantic and just felt the breeze blow through our hair as we quietly visited.
My son put his arms out straight on each side, and carefully placed one foot in front of the other as he gently wobbled his way forward, being sure to focus his eyes on the path in front of him. I kept my eyes on him, hoping he wouldn’t fall due to the distraction of the playing children, or screeching seagulls. He made his way to the end and jumped off into the sand triumphantly, having kept his balance.
So it is with life. Life is all about balance. We are constantly balancing between deadlines at work, and family meals around the table, personal devotions in the morning, and running on the treadmill. From packing lunches, taking kids to soccer games, women’s Bible studies, and church, we are constantly in the grip of busyness. Our days seem to fill up before we even make our own plans.
But there is someone who understands the pressure we feel. No one had a busier life, or more demands on Him than Jesus. Everywhere He went, He was sought after, needed for something, asked questions, and had multiple requests to heal diseases and infirmities. And Jesus met these demands. He taught the disciples. He preached to the multitudes. He got alone with His Father for quiet time.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” –Matthew 6:33-34.
We all have a million things in our life we need to do, and we have people we have to talk to. But the most important person in our lives should be Jesus. We cannot start our day and try to balance the list of things we have to do without first going to the one who gives us strength, wisdom, and love. If we are going to live a balanced life in place of a crazy one, we need a whole lot of Jesus. He is our fountain, flowing with every good thing and we need only 
take the time to drink and be refreshed.
Taking the time to get alone with the one who takes our cares and troubles as His own, will be the foundation for a truly balanced life.
“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7
When we do that, we offer ourselves time to breathe, to be quiet, think, pray, listen, and to practice keeping our focus on the one who goes before us. Just as my son kept his eyes firmly on that path he was walking, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. As we bring our focus back to Him repeatedly, we will notice less wobbling in the midst of our crazy schedules.
As a mother, I notice the most wobbling happening in the area of patience. If I have not taken the time to get alone with Jesus and pour out my cares to Him, let Him fill me with his peace, and love, and strength, then it will start to show through my tone of voice to my loved ones. My arms will start to flail and I will begin to fight falling off the wall. When I bring my focus back to being on Jesus again, I straighten and walk smoother.
The more we focus on Christ, the more we will naturally have balance in our lives, because “Jesus is the one who is able to keep us from falling.”- Jude 1:24.
Affirmations
- I enjoy spending time daily with God. He is my source of strength and peace.
- I depend on God to help me find balance in life.
- I trust God to help me prioritize.
- I am grateful for the time I have with my family.
Read more about me and my quest for balance as a working mom.
