The Balance of Life

I am often at a loss of what to write in blog posts. I do not feel I have any great truths to share or knowledge to bequeath to others. Many times, I simply write about my everyday life and how God reveals truths to me in this way.

This past December, we traveled back to the U.S. to spend Christmas with our families and to get some necessary medical procedures. It was a busy and full trip, but the time with our family was truly priceless. One of our goals on this trip was to gather some items that had been donated for the ministry. As such, we had several bags that we were returning with to Honduras. I knew the allowed weight limits and baggage sizes and I was pretty sure I had it all worked out. I wasn’t able to find my luggage scale, but I figured they weren’t too heavy as I could pick them up.

Well, I guess the workouts have paid off, but I overestimated my strength. When we arrived to check in our bags, I had one that was quite a bit over the weight limit. Panic ensued, but thankfully I had somewhat prepared for this. There was a bit of juggling of items, rearranging, and reweighing, but I finally got it all worked out.

I didn’t mention that the day we left Texas, it was in the low 30s with a lovely wind blowing and we checked our luggage in at an outside kiosk. So, there I was, with several open suitcases in the cold and wind trying to get everything to balance out just right so that we wouldn’t get charged extra. I am sure you can imagine this sight. I probably should have had Jeff video this fiasco, it felt like we would have won America’s Funniest Home Videos.

But regardless of my embarrassment at that moment, I walked away thinking how much this juggling of items in my luggage resembled my life. With the new year often comes New Year’s resolutions. I am going to read my Bible more, pray more, lose weight, eat healthier, start a new hobby, etc. We live life as a juggling act, and we are desperate to keep all the balls up in the air. I am always afraid of dropping the ball in some form or fashion.

But as I looked back at the cold concrete where I had just rearranged my suitcase items, I pondered how often I do that in my own life. I put so much on my plate and then must balance it all perfectly to get everything done. I could have easily avoided my problem at the airport had I just found my luggage scale. I realized that I could easily avoid the juggling of things in my life if I just consulted the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Scripture tells me exactly how to balance my life, but if I am being completely honest, I lean way too much on my own understanding and often don’t ask God’s direction before adding one more thing to my plate. It isn’t until I am panicking because I can’t get everything done that, I finally ask God for help.

As I walked through that airport, I realized I had things completely out of order. I must seek the Lord in the things HE has for my life, not the things I think He wants in my life. I must trust the Lord and not lean on my own understanding. I just bet if I consulted Him before adding things to my plate, I would have a much easier time balancing everything.

So, as we start this new year, I want to challenge myself to stop and ask the Lord before I commit, to trust Him, and commit everything to Him. I look forward to seeing how He shapes and molds me and how life balances in a way a never would have dreamed!