Our inaugural edition of Girl Talk Live was all about living a balanced life. Our guest speaker was Sheila Jones, editor of the book Finding Balance from the Inside Out. (Available for Purchase at: http://www.dpibooks.org/)Sheila shared graciously and openly about the challenge of juggling all our daily responsibilities. She encouraged us to focus on three themes. Let’s re-visit the first of those themes in an effort to renew our resolve to live more balanced lives.
Find Your Center of Gravity
Using the analogy of a tight rope walker, Sheila talked about how it’s impossible to stay grounded without relying on something greater than ourselves.
Massages, yoga and “me time” are great, but what happens when the “me time” is over? Those things may bring a momentary sense of peace, but don’t you want something more stable and lasting?
Our relationship with God is our balancing pole. God’s word keeps us moving forward with focus and direction. (Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.) (2 Peter 1:3 - His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.)
During times of prayer, we can turn our worries and anxieties over to God, and we will in turn experience His peace, which is stable and lasting. (Philippians 4:6-7 - Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.)
Why is spending time with God the first thing we squeeze out of our schedules when things get hectic? I don’t know about you, but it seems that if I really grasped the magnitude of the unshakeable peace that God gives and the value of the sound yet practical advice that comes from God’s word, my daily priorities would be different.
God is so amazingly gracious. It’s not about following rules with Him. He wants to capture our hearts. God doesn’t set any limits on how much time we have to spend reading his word or praying to reap these benefits. In fact, the opposite is true. God promises that if we put forth the effort to draw close to him, he will “match” our efforts. (James 4:8a - Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.)
What about you? How much time do you spend walking the tight rope of life attempting to use your own “inner strength” and “know how” as a substitute for the peace and stability that only a relationship with God can bring?
Why not renew your commitment to rely on God’s strength? How about letting go of all your worries for a change and experiencing the unshakeable peace that only God can provide?
Find Your Center of Gravity
Using the analogy of a tight rope walker, Sheila talked about how it’s impossible to stay grounded without relying on something greater than ourselves.
Massages, yoga and “me time” are great, but what happens when the “me time” is over? Those things may bring a momentary sense of peace, but don’t you want something more stable and lasting?
Our relationship with God is our balancing pole. God’s word keeps us moving forward with focus and direction. (Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.) (2 Peter 1:3 - His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.)
During times of prayer, we can turn our worries and anxieties over to God, and we will in turn experience His peace, which is stable and lasting. (Philippians 4:6-7 - Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.)
Why is spending time with God the first thing we squeeze out of our schedules when things get hectic? I don’t know about you, but it seems that if I really grasped the magnitude of the unshakeable peace that God gives and the value of the sound yet practical advice that comes from God’s word, my daily priorities would be different.
God is so amazingly gracious. It’s not about following rules with Him. He wants to capture our hearts. God doesn’t set any limits on how much time we have to spend reading his word or praying to reap these benefits. In fact, the opposite is true. God promises that if we put forth the effort to draw close to him, he will “match” our efforts. (James 4:8a - Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.)
What about you? How much time do you spend walking the tight rope of life attempting to use your own “inner strength” and “know how” as a substitute for the peace and stability that only a relationship with God can bring?
Why not renew your commitment to rely on God’s strength? How about letting go of all your worries for a change and experiencing the unshakeable peace that only God can provide?
