Sidestepping the ‘Not Enough—Too Much’ Conundrum

Until now you’ve possibly felt that hitting the target called Balance-in-Life has been a finite impossibility.

We approach balance and for a time achieve it, only to find it elude us again and again.

This is no better illustrated than via business or vocational activity. Any business owner knows this. There is usually not enough work. Occasionally, however, the work comes so thick and fast they cannot hold on and after a while begin to suffer fatigue... so from a forlorn state to one of exhaustion they go.

It’s the general nature of life, and blessed are those who have their predetermined balance squared away.

Rates of spiritual growth can be seen similarly.

Charting Growth Curves

There are times in the Christian life when our heads spin for growth—so much we want the merry-go-round to stop—and there are other times when growth stops completely and life is very humdrum.

Hardly ever does growth trickle on at a steadily reliable rate, pushing us at just-comfortable tempo.

But we needn’t worry too much as long as we’re open to seasons of growth, whilst making the most of our downtime by continuing to invest in reading, reflection and prayer. Times of exponential growth are to be endured patiently.

Overall Balance

When our overall balance is askew possibly our lives are telling us change is needed, for imbalance is unsustainable. Change requires courage because some may see what we’re doing as complete audacity.

Overall balance—when it’s achieved—is the main reason for peace and joy. It’s an immense thing spiritually to feel in this sort of control.

Sitting in the Belly of Balance

We can sidestep the ‘too much—not enough’ conundrum with more and more skill, and whilst this is achieved with age, even young people can learn it.

It comes down to a commitment to devotional activities daily; these against all the rush that persists in our worlds. Adequate devotional activity means there is a calm interior within us as we enter our busy days, giving us the courage to not shrink back from what’s coming so we isolate ourselves from its onslaught.

It becomes us to do one thing at a time—for that’s exactly what we’re capable of doing always. Only when we pull back and do nothing or when we try to manage five things at once do we end up ultimately in trouble.

Like living a day at a time is a wise approach, just doing one thing at a time is another. Even though the people coming to us don’t know what we’ve already got on, we can re-sort priorities and communicate with them what they can expect from us.

© 2011 S. J. Wickham.