Are you constantly being pulled in several directions, juggling commitments and demands? Does it seem like there just aren’t enough hours in the day? Do you end the week feelings overwhelmed and out of sorts? Yet, each morning rise and start anew to seek the balance you envision in ministry and life.
Continued efforts to reach the picture of balance we envision leaves us weary?
The weariness does not come from hard work. Doubts and misgiving related to our uncompleted list of task we have creates stress. Task we know are important and incomplete linger heavy on our heart and mind. Other people's demands, our own inner compulsions, and interruptions impact our feelings of frustration and stress. We confess we are afraid, "We have done those things which we ought not to have done, and we have left undone those things which we ought to have done
What we long to experience in our daily lives is the reality of the first part of the verse 1 Peter 5:8 AMPC, “Be well balanced”. What we seem to experience more often is the second part of the verse, “ for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring, seeking someone to seize upon and devour. ” In defining the term balance, as Peter expressed, a new perspective of can emerge. In other translations, “be well balanced’ is interpreted as being temperate, sober of mind, controlling yourself, disciplined, staying focused, or watchful.
A definition of balance by Jack Welch reflects the scriptures meaning and guides us to rethinking balance in life and ministry. “There is no such thing as work-life balance. There is work-life choice, and you make them and they have consequences… ” The quote described what I experience each day as I attempt to live balanced. Each time I say YES to one commitment I am saying NO to another. Shifting to the term Work Life choice allowed me to change my focus and experience balance. This has led to less stress and frustration in my life and ministry.
“Stop thinking of balance as achieving the right equation of time and effort distributed among your commitments. Instead, think of balance as aligning your behavior with your (life and ministry priorities) values.”, J. Gurvis. As I journeyed through the stages of life and ministry priorities (values) have shifted. When I had preschoolers I traveled less to lead conferences and speak because I valued developing a strong relationship with my children and teaching them to love Jesus. When my mother was in a nursing home, I spent more time with her because I valued the little time I had left with her before she was called home to heaven. During these stages I found much clarity and balance. However, in other stages of life the choices were not as clear. I found myself accepting new commitments offered without releasing any commitments from the previous stage. Then wondering why, I was feeling stressed, rushed and off balance.
“Finding balance isn’t really an issue of time, but an issue of choice,” continues Gurvis. . “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1. Time is the only resource in our world of which we all have the same amount. We have different financial, emotional, physical resources but we all have the same amount of time each day, week, month and year. And as Rick Warren reminds us, “Time is your most precious gift, because you only have a set amount of it.”
Work-Life Choice approach can lead balance when we ask the Lord, what priorities are you currently calling me to invest my time and energy? To what current tasks are calling me to reduce by time commitment or drop? Are you calling me to invest more time and energy in a new task? Are you calling me to increase the priority of a task in which I am already involved? These questions and other can lead us to experience an increased sense of balance. Begin creating less stress and frustration by seeking God’s priorities in life and ministry. Define balance and what that would look like for you with these priorities. Trust God to provide you the opportunity and time in the future, to prioritize those task you are putting on hold for now.
The first step to balance is to identify your ministry priorities. This can be identified by alone or with a mentor or coach. There are several wonderful tools to guide you in identify priorities and values, define balance, and create less stress. In utilizing the tools, you consider eleven areas of your life and identify your priorities. A Christian coach can provide these tools and a process to assist you. As you pray and meditate and seek God’s direction for your present life, this assessment provides a framework for God to speak.
The next step would be to review your current calendar and your daily schedules to identify the task you are currently prioritizing. Evaluate and determine if you are spending time on your priorities or others? The insights you gain from the comparison of your current calendar and your ministry priorities will provide you the information to make choices. Identify those activities which are consistent with your priorities and values and discontinuing choices which are not consistent.
Finally create a plan to make it happen. Remember to include in your plan the items to which you will say YES to and what you will say No. You will also need to consider setting boundaries to stand against other’s demands, your inner compulsions, and interruptions. The topic of developing a plan and how to make this happen can be explored in another article. As you experienced less stress and frustration you will develop a Work Life Choice which brings a sense of balance.
Some seasons of life we see clearly our calling, values, and priorities. There are seasons when the demands from others and ourselves are overwhelming. Making our choices challenging, stressful and confusing. Remember we are mortal and have limited energy and time each day. To push ourselves to live outside our values and priorities can result in physical and emotional side effect that will limit and hinder our effectiveness in God’s Kingdom work in the present and in the future. God wants to speak clearly to you and guide you in your Work Life Choice. I encourage you sisters in ministry and in Christ to remember Ecclesiastes 3:1 and decide, what is God’s priorities for me in this leadership season. Be well Balance! Stay in control of yourselves, stay awake, because our adversary wants us off balance
Foot notes:
1-Jack Welch, past Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric
2-Joan Gurvis, Senior Faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership’s , and author with Gordon Patterson, of Finding Your Balance.
3-Rick Warren-American evangelical Christian pastor and author
4-Scripture-AMPC 1 Peter 5:8 &
