Blessed Are The Balanced!
Devotional
1 Cor 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Have you ever driven a car that has tires that are out of balance? I have! Not only does it make for a rough ride but it presents other problems as well. It causes problems with undue wear and tear on the tires and steering components. It also causes problems with controlling the car. The car wants to wander and resists the efforts of the driver. The only remedy is to take the car to a mechanic and have balance and alignment corrected.
When we are out of balance with God, nothing seems to go right in our lives! We are in for a rough ride! There is undue wear and tear upon our spirits and it seems that we find ourselves wandering from the will of God!
We need to be balanced! It is not the will of God that we go through life unbalanced and unstable!
The reality is that only to the degree that we are made whole, will our lifestyle, attitudes, actions, behaviors and our relationships be wholesome.
When it comes to relationships most of us want a healthy and whole person to be attracted to us, but unless I am healthy and whole, a healthy and whole person won’t be attracted to me.
Furthermore, in relationships two halves don’t make a whole. Relationships are like multiplication: ½ X ½ =1/4, while one whole multiplied by one whole equals one whole (1X1=1).
Only whole people find wholesome relationships, and only happy people make happy relationships.
Wholeness is available to all who want it. But only those who truly want to be made whole—and are willing to pay the price—will be. The choice is up to each one of us. Jesus’ invitation is open to all.
As in everything, Jesus became our example even in living a balanced life.
Luke 2:52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. (NIV)
In other words Jesus developed intellectually, physically, spiritually and emotionally; that is, he grew to become a whole, healthy and well person. God’s goal, I believe, is for you and me to do the same.
Paul said everyone that is striving to obtain perfection by mastering themselves is balanced or temperate in all things. They are disciplined and not given to excess. We do this with the help of God because we are striving for an eternal reward, a crown of righteousness.
God, help us to be balanced. Give us courage to change the things we can, grace for the things we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen!
