What is balance? The word certainly has an abundance of meanings. Two equal weights will balance on a scale. An acrobat balances on a tightrope. A balanced article is a fair article. Your bank account has a balance (hopefully greater than the balance on your credit card, or else you’ll find yourself doing a balancing act).

You can probably think of many more examples, but the type of balance we will study here is the most elusive of all: balance in life. This type of balance is most conspicuous by its absence, and it is not hard to find many examples of unbalanced lives. Most of us do not have to look beyond ourselves.

Work life balance

If you suspect that unbalance is taking a toll on your life, here’s a quiz to help you diagnose some problem areas.

  • Do your projects, commitments, and “to-do” items stack up faster than you have time to complete them?
  • Do you frequently rely on credit cards to make ends meet?
  • Is it hard for you to leave work at a decent time? (Maybe your spouse should answer this one for you.)
  • Are family dinners an endangered species in your home?
  • Does it seem impossible to provide for the wants and needs of your family while also giving them substantial quality time?
  • Do you feel like you are neglecting your spiritual life?

My definition of balance is this:
To manage one’s resources by God’s principles, resulting in a life of peace, joy, and contentment.

Notice I define balance as a verb. I am not talking about a motionless state of equilibrium; balance is an ongoing activity. Like riding a bicycle, life requires forward motion to maintain balance.

The definition above contains two parts: the criteria (God’s principles) and the outcome (peace, joy, and contentment).

The Bible contains no shortage of principles:

  • Love God & others (Matthew 22:37-39)
  • Live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4)
  • Work hard (Proverbs 10:4-5)
  • Make time for rest (Exodus 20:10-11)
  • Take care of your family (1 Timothy 5:8)
  • Help the needy (Deuteronomy 15:11)
  • Be content (Hebrews 13:5)

And the list goes on—you can probably think of many, many more. Collectively, these principles create a framework that guides every area of life.

Even so, God does not micromanage. The Bible doesn’t tell us how much time we can spend in front of the TV each day. We must ask ourselves, “How much TV can I watch without neglecting God’s priorities?” Likewise, “How much time can I spend at the office without diminishing my ability to serve God’s purposes in my family?” God typically requires us to answer these questions on our own, but doing so requires wisdom, which comes from Him (James 1:5).

Faith and Flexibility

On top of His generally revealed principles, God also has specific tasks in mind for each of us individually. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

Sometimes these are direct leadings of the Holy Spirit; other times God makes His will apparent through our circumstances. He closes one door and opens another. Recognizing these things requires us to pay attention. Acting on these things requires us to have faith and flexibility.

Here’s an alternative definition of balance:
To focus on the important while minimizing or eliminating the unimportant.

In John 15:1-17, Jesus uses the word “abide” ten times. To abide in Jesus is to be connected to, supplied by, and directed by Him. Christians talk a lot about bearing fruit, but I think it’s important to note that Jesus does not command us to bear fruit; he commands us to abide in Him and then fruit is the natural result. A life that bears the kind of fruit that God desires to cultivate is the ultimate description of a biblically balanced life.

Take Action

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
J.R.R. Tolkien

1. On a scale of one to ten, rate your level of excellence in each of these priorities:

____ Work

____ Finances

____ Marriage

____ Spiritual Life

____ Physical Health

____ Family Life

2. Remember the words “peace, joy, and contentment” from our definition? Throughout the day, whenever you notice one of those things missing, take it as a reminder to refocus your thoughts on Jesus Christ.

Efficiency

How do you get the greatest mileage out of a tank of gas? If you drive too fast, the increasing drag from the air and road combined with the physical limitations of the engine will sap your efficiency. This is called the law of diminishing returns. If you drive too slowly, on the other hand, the vehicle’s auxiliary systems will continue to draw a fixed amount of power from the engine and reduce your miles per gallon. You can, in fact, run out of gas in a parked car. The greatest efficiency, and thus the greatest performance, lies somewhere in the middle.

One key purpose of balance is to get the most out of your life. We’ve now looked at the definition of balance, which starts with managing one’s time and resources in a way that serves God’s purposes. God has placed certain assets in your control that He expects you to manage: we all have varying amounts of talents, skills, influence, and money. And we all have exactly twenty-four hours each day. Balance is all about utilizing those assets as effectively as possible.

There are several ways to increase the “efficiency” of your life: first by pacing yourself and finding the sweet spot between over-exertion and lethargy. Then you can reduce your fixed costs by eliminating wasteful financial and time obligations. Finally, you can train yourself to increase your effective capacity for work. 

For starters, we must carefully consider the most important point of all: how does God measure effectiveness?

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
(Romans 12:1-2)

Stumbling Blocks

“…if you saw your life as a great battle and you knew you needed time with God for your very survival, you would do it…We give a half-hearted attempt at the spiritual disciplines when the only reason we have is that we ‘ought’ to.”  ~John Eldredge, from his book Wild at Heart

Balance gets complicated when you consider the outside forces acting on your life. The needs of your family, the demands of your job, and the rug-pulling effect of unexpected crises are all obvious factors that affect your balance. More dangerous, however, is the fact that we have an enemy who is actively working against us. Christians have been delivered from the power of sin, but certainly not from its persuasion. One of Satan’s favorite strategies is to establish a stronghold in one specific area of a person’s life.

A stronghold is a tactically advantageous position from which he can exert leverage on other areas. Satan usually targets areas that are private or embarrassing because we’re less likely to get help with these. Addiction is the classic example of a stronghold, but things like bitterness and materialism (aka, idolatry) can also fit the pattern.

Satan’s ability to attack means that a balanced life must include a strong defensive component. A good Bible verse to keep in mind is Galatians 5:16, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Prioritizing

Reshaping your priorities takes weeks, months, or years, and it happens in a thousand tiny steps—not all at once. The important thing today is that you make a regular habit of examining your priorities.

Which priorities are you not fulfilling with excellence? In most cases, you will have to invest more time, energy, and money into those under-served priorities to resuscitate them. Where are you going to find those extra resources? In a word, pruning.

In John 15, where Jesus is pictured as the vine and we are His branches, Jesus says that the Father “prunes” us so that we will be more fruitful. We cannot do all of the things we would like to do, so it makes sense that we cut away the things that matter less. Ultimately, God will prune our lives where necessary to accomplish His purposes in the end, but believe me, it’s best to jump into this process voluntarily.