FINDING Balance, ACCEPTING Peace, and LIVING Life

by Christina Eve

The longer I live the more I am convinced that there is a healthy rhythm of work, rest, and play that the world doesn’t want us to see or experience. There is order and balance but it is hidden underneath all the noise.

I know it’s there because my body craves it. And maybe yours does too.

falling on bed from exhaustion

When we work too hard, we long for a time of rest.

When we rest too long, we look for something to busy ourselves with.

And when we have a good balance of rest and work we make time for something fun and exciting.

Coincidently, the Minimalist Movement that started in the 1960s is trending today among Millennials and "Gen Zers".

I'm not surprised!

My conclusion, based on personal experiences and those I hear from friends and Life Coaching Clients, is that people are seeking simplistic lives because they feel overwhelmed, undervalued, unseen, and tired.

This rat race society wasn’t built with our well-being in mind, it was built for money and materialistic conquests.

What about faith, family, and free time? What about peace of mind?

Well, guess what? If we live according to scripture, all of that is obtainable.

The Bible outlines this perfect balance numerous times.

Hebrews 4:4 “…And God did rest the seventh day from all His works.”‭

Proverbs 13:4 “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.”

Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬-9 ‭“Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart…Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life…”

These scriptures remind us that a balanced life is one where we

1. Work diligently at our jobs, in ministry, and within our homes (but have a cut-off time)

2. Make time for a day of rest weekly and make it non-negotiable

3. Enjoy the fruits of our labor (aka have fun and enjoy a good time because you are well rested and you have labored)

bird soaring above clouds

God goes a step further and blankets all of the above with peace.

The scripture I referenced above from Ecclesiastes comes from a chapter in the Bible that King Solomon wrote where he was legitimately contemplating life. In all of his wisdom he had sorrow in knowing that life is ultimately short and that if we don’t live it, it is vanity. I mention this because we can get into a headspace where we sometimes feel the same.

We may think things like:

“I’m wasting my life away at this job.”

“I never have time for fun!”

Or, “I want to do something different, but I’m not sure what it is or when I can make time to do it.”

If you ever think those thoughts, just know that a frustrated King Solomon (aka the wisest man to ever live) also thought those thoughts. However, because of wisdom from God, he decided to advise us to do the following:

• Live and Choose to Enjoy Happy Moments (Ecc. 9:7-10)

• Love the people around you & work together (Ecc. 4:9)

• Reverence God (the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes)

Then, on top of all of that, Jesus came and left us with is His Peace(aka access to His Holy Spirit)!

So not only does the scripture give us permission and instruction for how to live a balanced life, we can live a balanced life with PEACE if we choose to.

John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I want to encourage you (as I do the same), pray for and embrace the peace of God, work diligently, adopt a healthy rhythm of rest, and enjoy living your life.

Today is a new day! A day where you and I have been given the opportunity to choose better, love stronger, and shine brighter than the day before.

ShineStrong LiveLong!