When to Leave the Balance Behind

Balance.

I’ve read more than one blog post about it.  We’re all trying to find balance in our life. 

Don’t work too much, but a little is ok.  Don’t eat too much ice cream, but a bowl is fine.  Don’t watch too much TV, but a little is good for you.  Don’t spend too much outside your home, but a coffee date every once in awhile is great.

While all of that is probably true, I realized that I’d transferred that over to my relationship with God.

When I was caring too much about TV, I must not care too much about God right now.

If I found myself thinking about fashion a lot, God must be on the back burner.

If I was reading too many novels, my quiet time must be lacking and I wasn’t meeting with God enough.

The balance for me was either-or.  God was on one side and everything else was on the other.

To be truly spiritual, the teeter totter would be full tilt towards God and I’d leave the rest of it behind.  Then. THEN, I’d be a great Christian.

I’ve been called balanced a time or two and frankly, it always bothered me. Shouldn’t I be a Jesus Freak?  Shouldn’t I leave it all behind?  I’m not ok with being “balanced”, I wanted the pedal to the medal for Jesus.  Forget balance!  I want to give it all to Him, leave the world behind!

But I think God’s been showing me a new way.

My Christianity ought to be more like the tallest, windiest, funnest (yes, funnest) slide on the playground.  He doesn’t want me to try to balance anything, He just wants to experience life to the fullest with Him.  Experience life from the top to the bottom with Him in all its twists and turns.

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If I’m watching TV, I can appreciate the artistry of the actors, directors and producers and their Creator.  I can cry at the redemption of the character of the end because that’s what God did for me and whisper another thank you.

If I’m putting together an outfit, I can think of that bird or that fish it reminds me of and thank him heartily for providing and inspiring such a beautiful world to exist in.

If I’m reading novels, I can be scared of the villain and remember that Christ is our ultimate protector.  I can weep with joy when two characters finally marry and remember the gift of my own husband God gave me.

I think God’s showing me a glimpse of what this verse means:

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

He’s not asking not to do anything unspiritual, He’s asking us to make everything spiritual.

He wants our everyday tasks and activities AND our spiritual life to be at full tilt, experiencing all of it through His lens.

Sure, there’s a call to stay away from sin and sure, there’s still an idea of balance in our lives–balancing our diets and our work life–but balancing God against the everyday?  Get off the teeter totter and head for the slide.