As I reached school age, I had to learn to balance homework and play. Increasingly not so fun as there was less play and more homework, yet I was mostly free from a lot of responsibility beyond myself. Landing my first job was exciting, but it added to the balancing act...then marriage, kids, church activities, kids activities...and before I knew it, I felt like one of those circus acts in which someone tries to keep an increasing number of plates spinning on top of poles.
Sometimes I would get too many plates spinning, and sooner or later it all came crashing down. What we all need is balance--too much on our plate and it will tip, too many plates and we simply can't keep them all spinning; something has to go. We need Godly wisdom to discern how we use our time and energy. In the first chapter of James we are told that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and he will give it to us as long as we believe and don't doubt. So let's choose to believe.
It can take a measure of wisdom to know when to say "no", when to accept a challenge, and how to prioritize the "demands" of life. When I was working full time, I had to learn to focus on my work and take care of family concerns later in the day. By the same token, when I was at home I needed to focus on my family and let those tasks left undone at work wait until tomorrow. In retirement, I still need wisdom as to how to spend my time. I have kids at home, adult children, aging parents, ministries and Bible studies that I finally have time for, friends to keep connected to, and that very fun "job" of grand-parenting to attend to. Tasks and goals can wait, people often cannot or should not have to wait.
Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord...." We can't work with all our heart if all our energy is depleted because we're doing too much, so we need wisdom. Ecclesiastes 12 tells us that "Wisdom is a shelter" and "Wisdom preserves those who have it." I need a shelter from the demands and busyness of my life so that I can preserve myself for the "good works, which God prepared in advance" (Eph 2:10) for me to do, NOT everything that everyone else asks of me or all that I ask of myself.
Balancing the ups and downs of a teeter totter or the back and forth of a pump swing as a child is so much easier than those times as adults when we find ourselves spinning a dozen or more plates on poles. In the same way, exercising our childlike faith to seek wisdom and trust God to prioritize our time is so much easier than trying to "do it all" and "be everything to everyone".
It's important to learn to accept help from others as well. I remember very distinctly when I had experienced early labor and was on bed rest. I received a call from a friend offering to drop off a dinner. I instinctively said, thank you, but we're doing okay. She then asked me if I was going to rob her of her blessing by not allowing her to help me. I immediately recanted and said I would love to have her drop a meal by the house.
Balance--the ability to give and receive, the ability to say "no" as well as "yes", the ability to work hard, but take a Sabbath rest, the ability to keep a clean house when time allows, but to be able to let it get messy sometimes as well, the ability to take time to seriously study the Bible and pray with a friend and other times to have fun and laugh at yourselves together, the need to spend time with others and the need to spend time alone, healthy eating, but a fun desert or snack at times too. Balance--that thing to "keep in check" so you don't reach your "tipping point".
Are you feeling well-balanced or can you hear Jesus' words right now (fill in the blank with your name) "_________, _________, ...you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed--or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better..." (Luke 10:41-42). Let's determine to spend time at Jesus' feet, seeking and listening to him first...then everything else will "balance out".