Remember as kid trying to walk across one of those beams in a playground at school or a park and doing your best to hold your balance? Or the image of an Olympic gymnast on the balance beam is probably etched in your mind. An object that is not naturally a part of the beam works to maintain balance from beginning to the end. Our lives are much like the kid on a beam in the playground or the Olympian on a balance beam. It takes lots of energy to balance and stay on the beam and not fall off. Thats how it is with life that is going on within and around you. How in the world do we do that on an consistent basis that doesn't literally wear us out?
1. YOU NEED MENTAL BALANCE.
How do you have balance? You balance it by screening the things that come into your mind. You just don't allow anything to come into your thought life indiscriminately. You maintain balance by choosing what you're going to think about. Jesus said, "When you know the truth, the truth will set you free." When you fill your mind with truth, you will find freedom in your lifestyle. Freedom comes by having the right kind of thoughts. True thoughts. Mental balance.
2. YOU NEED PHYSICAL BALANCE.
I confess, this is one I have fallen off the wagon on. Up until four months or so ago, I was at the Y 4-5 times a week. Not so now! When we don't take care of our bodies, it affects everything else. You have to ask yourself: Am I constantly complaining about being tired? "I'm so tired... I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." There's a way out. You maintain physical balance.Some of you say, "I could never get in shape. I'm too old. You can't teach an old dog new tricks." I say, it's never too late to change.
3. YOU NEED SPIRITUAL BALANCE
That's part of your personal life. 2 Peter 3:18 says "Grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." You do two things -- two ways you grow as a Christian: You grow in grace and you grow in knowledge of Jesus Christ. You have intellectual growth -- you know about the content of the Bible. You also grow in grace -- that's character, enjoying God.
4. YOU NEED EMOTIONAL BALANCE
Are you an emotionally balanced person? Do you have a tendency to worry constantly? Are you a moody person? Do you let your moods go up and down? Are you mastered by your moods rather than managing your moods? Do you get depressed?
I think emotional balance is a combination of confidence and contentment. You're confident and contented and you are emotionally stable in your life.
5. YOU NEED SOCIAL BALANCE.
I'm talking about your relationships. You can have everything right in your life and if your relationships are lousy, life stinks. You can be a millionaire, you can be popular, you can be well known and successful, but if you've got people that you're at odds with, life is tough. So you need emotional balance, and you need social balance in your life.
I can't impress on you enough the importance of this balance.
Tommorow I will give you simple steps on how to put these principles in motion.
