Balance

We serve a God who chose to move at three miles per hour. Three miles an hour is the average speed at which a person walks, and Jesus walked everywhere He went. Think about that—God chose to limit Himself to a walking pace. To walk with Him, we may need to slow down.

I’m reminded of a quote I’m enjoying lately: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you” (Anne Lamott). My body can look still sometimes, but my mind is racing, endlessly scrolling through my mental to-do list. Hurry is my tendency, so slow is my goal.

           As Philippians 4:10-13 reminds us, balance is a skill we can learn. The secret to a balanced life is processing our to-do list with the One who strengthens us. It doesn’t all depend on us when we depend on Him. This is key: knowing what we don’t have to do frees us to do the things we are meant to do. Living from this place allows us to work effectively and rest deeply.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I focused on God’s kingdom? Am I centered in His presence? Balance is finding a rhythm for life that is anchored in these realities.

Jesus exemplified this “Matthew 6:33” way of life. He had only three years of ministry on earth, yet He never seemed hurried or overwhelmed. Others around Him often felt urgency—like Martha and Mary, who said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). But Jesus moved to the rhythm of the Kingdom, focused and centered, knowing precisely what the Father required of Him. And the result? Miracles, with the glory of God revealed.

When we live for the Kingdom, centered in Jesus Christ, we’ll find our rhythm. And it will be good.