Balance

I have only been on this earth for 34 years. I'm not a wise person by many standards but I do think a lot and observe even though I also am a talker. So as I have grown older I find one thing very difficult to achieve and yet I have come to the conclusion that it is of the utmost importance in life. You can read the the title of this and know I am speaking of balance. It can also be referred to as priority. What get's first dibs from your attention.

As a follower of Jesus Christ the first priority in life is our relationship with Him. That's a no brainer. The next no brainer in the line of priority is family. 1 Timothy 5 covers that issue. But here is where I get hung up a bit. Between church and the work place (career).

I believe you should work to live not live to work. Of course that can be skewed if your idea of living is "high on the hog" as the saying goes. If one is to provide for his family, it requires holding down a job that usually requires a 40 hour week commitment at the least. Church on the other hand now requires quite a bit of time if you are to be involved on a deeper level than just coming to church on Sunday morning.

We often look to those in ministry as special people, and they are. They have a tremendous calling. All of us as believers are called to full time service though. People in paid full time ministry positions don't have to worry as much about the balance between making a living and serving the body of Christ. They get to do both at the same time.

I am searching for the balance. The fine or maybe not so fine line of working to grow a business and a career to provide for my family, and serving in an effective, committed way in Church. Not just on Sunday. Understand that I want to put more time into Church activities and ministry, NOT less, but not at the expense of my family or my job. I want to find the balance point. Some would say "you can never serve to much in God's work. He will take care of the rest". That would be essentially full time ministry. All to often men and women in full time and non-full time ministry have poured themselves so much into serving that they abandon their God given responsibilities to care for their families. They will, I believe, be held in judgment for that.


What I am saying is there needs to be a balance. So here is where I am with my priorities:

My walk with God
My Family
Work/Church

If I put work above church my priorities look off. If I put church above work I may loose my salary. You may have a clear direction on your list. Good for you.

This is tricky at best!