How To Find Balance

You have it, then it's gone.

Without it you will fall, but once you fall, you find it. Sounds like a riddle, doesn't it? In many ways, it is. The struggle for balance in our lives is very much a puzzle, one with which we constantly contend. If everything would just hold still, balance would be so much easier. But that's not life. Life is dynamic, active, moving. As soon as you think you have everything under control, something changes, and your balance is gone.

At that point, you have two choices. Either you adjust to keep your balance, or you fall. Either way, you are going to move. Remaining static is not an option.

Balance is a constant process.

I am a physical therapist, and in my job, I work with balance every day. One day in a seminar I heard the lecturer say that walking is an ongoing process of throwing ourselves off balance and working to regain it. That stuck with me, because I see the metaphor for life. Living is much like walking. As soon as you start to move, everything changes.

By one definition, balance means keeping your center of gravity within your base of support. In the human body, your center of gravity when standing is roughly at your pelvis and your base of support is your feet. If one moves and the other doesn't, you lose your balance. Simple enough when standing still. Put one foot in front of the other, though, and everything changes. Try it. See what I mean? What once was so simple now is much harder. Why? Because something moved. And that is the story of life and balance. Both are ongoing processes.

The secret is to keep moving.

As I said before, balance has to do with your center and your base, or foundation. The two must be aligned correctly in order for you to stay balanced. Don't want to fall? Keep your center of gravity over your base of support and you are golden. But let one move independently of the other and you become a house of cards. The slightest tap will send you tumbling.


The secret is to keep moving. Just the slightest shifting of your weight, or movement of your feet is often all it takes to stay balanced. Stand on one foot. You don't hold still, do you? Even though you may not go anywhere, you are not still. You weave, you wobble, you wave your arms. All of these help you keep your center over your base. Try to hold perfectly still, and you will fail. That's because none of us, no matter how good our balance or strong our core, are ever truly still. We are alive, and life means movement.

My point?

It's pretty simple. Life is like walking. If you want to stay balanced, you have to work at it. A good foundation and strong core are important, and we we may talk about those one day. Today what I want us to realize is that no matter how strong you are, sometimes you have to move.  Life is dynamic. If we want to stay on our feet, remaining perfectly still is not an option.

What Does it Mean to Worship God?

What is worship?

 According to Rick Warren's study, The Purpose Driven Life, our primary purpose and focus in life is to worship God. OK, but just what is worship anyway?

Is worship singing with upraised arms, heart open to God, unashamedly and unabashedly singing His praises? Is worship kneeling in prayer, tears flowing down our cheeks as we unreservedly reveal our deepest secrets, hopes, fears, dreams to Him? Is worship time spent alone with God, or time spent in fellowship with other Christians? Is worship giving our money, our time, our talents to God?

In a word, YES!

Worship can be any of these, or none. Worship isn't about what you do, but rather how, why, and for whom you do it. Worship can be, should be, everything we do. Worship is life, and life is worship.

Colossians 3:23 says, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men. Romans 12:1 says, in part, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.  Now that last one isn't about going out and offering ourselves on an altar somewhere! Both of these verses are talking about doing everything, whatever it is, to please God. When we do that, everything becomes a form of worship.

Everything?

Everything. Digging ditches, preaching sermons, changing diapers, mowing the lawn, even taking a nap--if done with the right attitude and done the best you can do it, anything and everything can be worship to God. You see, worship isn't about doing anything special, it's about doing everything special. Doing everything knowing that you do it not for your boss, your spouse, your children, your neighbor, yourself,  or anyone else, but for God.

When you live your life for God, understanding that everything you do is done for Him, then everything you do becomes pleasing to Him. That is worship.

How will you worship God this week?

What part of your life have you been living for yourself or someone else other than God? Your work? Your children? Your house, finances, relationships, school? Think about it . . . what have you been doing that you never considered God to be a part of? Put God in it, and that becomes worship. It really is that simple.

Make a commitment, right now, to offer that part of your life to God. Jesus said this in Mark 12:30: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. That's everything we have, friends.

Love God with all you have and all that you do. That is the meaning of true worship.

It's Not About You

This life isn't about you.

Our church has embarked on a six week study by Pastor Rick Warren entitled What on Earth am I Here For?, based on Pastor Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life. The first line in this book of 40 personal devotions sets the tone: It's not about you.

 At first take, this sounds like a negative statement. I mean, I am participating in this study to find out what my purpose is, and right out of the gate the first thing I read is It's not about you. Really? We're talking about my life here. My reason for living. My purpose. How could it not be about me?

If that's true . . .

In exploring the possibility that indeed my purpose may not be centered around me, I found a certain freedom and peace. I realized that if life isn't about me, then all that stuff I see as unfair isn't about me. The junk that the world throws at me isn't about me. The inequity, the decks stacked against me, the losses, the pain, the turmoil, the grief and all that other negative stuff--none of it is about me. Wow, what a relief!

I also had to explore the other side of that coin. Whatever success I've had, any gains I have made, all of my possessions, every one of my hopes and dreams--realized and yet to come--they're not about me either. All that I have, or want, or have lost. Every tear I have shed, every laugh I have shared, every smile and grimace, every pleasure and pain . . . none were about me.

If not me, then who?

It's about God, of course. Pastor Warren references Colossians 1:16 from the Biblical paraphrase The Message, which reads in part, "everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him." God created everything, and everything is about God. Everything. Including me and you.

Our lives are about God. Our successes and failures, our strengths and weaknesses, our joys and our sorrows are not about you and me. Everything that we are and do and experience is about God. We are part of His creation, and all of His creation finds its purpose in Him. It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about God.

So what?

So it doesn't matter what I do, because it's not about me, right? Ummm . . . no. Because my life purpose is found in God, it matters infinitely more what I do. If life was about me, I'm just one of about seven billion other people in this world today. I'm no big deal. But there is only one True God. And if my life is about Him--that changes everything.

Whether I do my best at whatever I do is not about me; it's about God. My attitude when life is hard is not about me; it's about God. Just as equally, my attitude when things go my way is not about me; that's about God, too.

All things find their purpose in God. If that doesn't make you pause, I don't know what will.

Rest From Your Labors

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28, KJV

A Day of Rest
 
Today in America we celebrate Labor Day. Since 1894, the first Monday in September has been set aside to honor the American Labor Movement and the contributions American workers have made to this great nation. This is most widely commemorated by a long weekend, a day off from work; a day of rest.

A Better Rest

As much as I respect and benefit from what has been accomplished by dedicated men and women of the workforce in days both past and present, I understand and believe that a better rest has been promised to me, and all others who would come to Christ. This promised rest is not only for a day, not only once a year, but every day, every moment. More importantly, this promised rest is not only of the body, but of the mind, spirit, and soul. That is the kind of rest I need!

Jesus calls to those who labor, those who are heavy laden. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever felt that all you do is work, work, work, and never have time to rest? I don't only mean 16 hour days at your occupation. I mean all of your work. Your job, your home, your children . . . all these things are work. Then there are the stresses of life: Finances; family; health . . . the list goes on and on. These, also, are labors. And there comes a time when we all need a break.

Accept Christ's Offered Rest

Sometimes we, or at least I, seem to think we have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We somehow get the idea that I am the only one who can do this, or If I don't do it, no one else will. Sometimes that is true, but do you realize that you can do nothing on your own? Nothing worthwhile, at least.

In John 15:5, Jesus says, "Apart from me you can do nothing." Yet, in Philippians 4:13 Paul says, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." And then we have the words of Jesus mentioned above: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Do you see the pattern?

Apart from Christ we can do nothing, with Him we can accomplish anything, and through Him we are promised rest. Can you think of a better work environment than that? For me, that's the kind of deal I can't refuse.


 

Be You

We are not all the same.

Each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made to be the individual God wants us to be. He does not intend for us to be carbon copies of each other. He makes us to be just how we are supposed to be. Oh, and one more thing--God doesn't make mistakes or cheap knock-offs. Everything He makes is a perfect custom build.

My children, and I am sure others will agree, testify to this. I have three, and they are all different. All from the same two parents, all raised in the same home, treated the same, provided for, encouraged, and disciplined the same--and yet, each unique and special. Just as God intended.

Above is a picture of our youngest. She loves sparkles, jewelry, bright colors. She knows no strangers (scares me to death!). She laughs from the time she gets up til she finally giggles herself to sleep. She is our free spirit, our creative, our flower child. The other two--not so much. And that's just fine. No, not just fine--perfect--just as God planned.

It's not easy to be different.

Being different means standing out, taking the risk that you might be rejected, ridiculed, or even rewarded. It takes courage, confidence, and plain old chutzpah.  In short, it takes guts.

The truth is, we are all different. No two of us are the same, no matter how hard we may try to be. It doesn't matter how hard you try to be like someone else, try to imitate their looks, their mannerisms, their speech. No matter what you do, you cannot be someone else. Nor should you try. God made you as you, and that is who you are supposed to be.

The world would have you believe otherwise. For all the talk of tolerance and inclusion, what the world really wants to do is erase individualism. According to the world, boys and girls--they are just the same. According to the world, individual effort is not rewarded--everyone gets a trophy. According to the world, there is no right or wrong--everyone is right (unless you disagree with that!).

It takes courage to stand up to the world.

It takes courage to be you.

The young lady in the above picture is who she is. She knows she's different from her brother and sister--she even says so--and it's not easy. She doesn't like the same things they do, she doesn't act like they do, or talk like they do, laugh like they do . . . She knows this, but she doesn't try to change. That takes courage. At 7 years old, she sometimes has more courage than I do.

I don't know what part of you you don't like--but there's something. Sure, we all have things we should change: Bad habits, sin, and the like. But there are other things, things which make us who we are, that are just fine except . . . we don't like them. They make us different. They make us stand out. They make us--us.

Don't try to change those things. Embrace them. They make you who you are, who God wants you to be. That takes courage.

Be you.

Wild, curly hair, toothy smile, infectious laugh--they make my daughter who she is. She can't sit still at the table for 2 minutes, but she can sit in her "thinking chair" on the porch for an hour, day-dreaming. That's who she is, and who she is supposed to be by God's design.

What makes you, you? Whatever it is, embrace it. Dare to be different. Dare to be who God wants you to be. You might be amazed by how perfect you really are.

Whom Shall I Fear?

Are you afraid?

Sure, we all are. Afraid of the dark. Afraid of snakes. Afraid of failure, success, or mediocrity. We all fear something. But that's not what I'm talking about, and you know it. Today I'm talking about the world financial situation and again I ask, are you afraid?

The DJIA experienced its worst one day drop in history today, over 1,000 points. Yes, it recovered, then fell again to end the day down 588. This after losing 531 points last Friday, and triple digit losses the days prior to that. Markets all over the world are falling, shedding trillions--yes, trillions--of dollars of value/wealth. Financial doom and gloom may very well be on the horizon.

Should we be afraid?

It is going to happen.

One of these days, all of your wealth--stocks and bonds, IRAs and 401Ks, real estate and the cash in your mattress--will be worthless. I can say this with absolute confidence because all of these things are temporary. None of it will last. Not one single cent.

I do not have the foggiest idea when this will happen, but it will. The Bible says so, over and over. In the end, nothing of this world endures. It all burns. Its all destroyed. If that is where your confidence, your hopes and dreams lie, you should be afraid. Very afraid.

You are going to live forever.

No, this isn't some corny fortune-cookie reading. This is Biblical truth. Everyone lives, or at least exists, forever. Your soul is eternal. It cannot be destroyed, extinguished, or annihilated. For time without end, that part of you which is truly you--your soul--will be.  This is God's truth, not mine.

The question, then, is not if you will be, but rather where. You will be with God, or you will be without God. The deciding factor between those two options? Jesus Christ. Oh, and the old saying is right--You can't take anything with you.

Now that is something to fear. 

I fear God.

If you are so inclined, open a Bible and read in the Book of Luke, Chapter 12, verses 4 and 5.  Not a light reading, is it? In fact, in light of eternity in hell, how my retirement portfolio is performing doesn't seem quite so important anymore. A thousand point drop in the Dow is inconsequential. All of the sudden, I don't fear the bankers, the lenders, the government. I don't fear wealth, or poverty, or anything else. In fact, all that matters is God.  The only one I need to fear is Him.

And that is whom I fear.

Do you?

I Was Born to . . .

Bruce Springsteen, anyone?

Were you born to run? Not me. I've tried it. A lot. I've never been very good at it, though. Some people seem to be born to run, but me, I fit into a pair of cycling shoes much better. Some run, some swim, some cycle, and some really crazy people do all three in self-induced torture sessions called triathlons. We are not all cut out to do the same, and that's just fine. Everyone is different, with different gifts and abilities.

Do you know yours?

I'm not talking about athletic abilities anymore. I'm talking about spiritual gifts, those abilities which God gives you to serve in His kingdom. Those are much more important. Why? Well, Paul says it this way in I Timothy 5:8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both this life and the life to come. Physical training has some value, but godliness, those matters of the spiritual nature--including spiritual gifts--has value for all things.

So if matters of the spiritual nature have value for all things, and are of greater importance than physical training, should we not know what we are good at? What our gifts are? Yes, I believe we should.

How do I know what my gift is?

Well, what are you good at? That's one clue. Another way to find out is to take one of the many spiritual gift tests which are abundant on the internet. If you have never taken such a test, I encourage it. Even if you think you know what your gifts are, it is good to see it in black and white. If you do not know what God has gifted you with, then by all means, use the tools out there to start exploring.

You can also refer to some Bible references regarding spiritual gifts, including I Corinthians 12:1-11; Romans 12:6-8; and Ephesians 4:11-13. The point of these passages is that everyone has a gift and that each of them is as important and necessary as any other. They are only useful, however, if you use them. To do that in the fullest, you have to recognize what yours is.

We were all born to serve God.

To me, it really is that simple. I was born to serve God. My gifts are teaching and leading. I can do other things, but God has given me special capacities to serve in those two areas. Knowing this, I am able to serve Him better. Since I was born to serve God, I want to know how to do that best. Knowing what tools He has given me is an important element in my efforts.

You, also, were born to serve God, and when you became a Christian (if you have made that most important choice) you also were given an ability or abilities to serve Him. Just to clarify, but not digress, this may or not be the same as a natural gift you were born with. A spiritual gift is given when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell us at salvation. When you were born again, God gave you a gift.

Do you know what it is?