Recently, Dan (my fiance) and I took a trip to a local zoo. As we walked and enjoyed the day, we came to the bird santuary and noticed all the beautiful feathers and the colors the birds had. It amazed us how precise they were and how balanced they were. We were in awe of how great God is in how He created us in perfect balance even to the tiniest detail.

The Lord has created us as creatures of balance in our physical bodies as well as in our minds. Isaiah 40:12 says, 'Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?' God wants order and balance in our lives. We work everyday but also make time to rest. We eat to nourish our bodies, but also exercise to keep our health in check. When we fail to align the balance in our lives, with the Word of God, it becomes unhealthy and burdensome and we find ourselves in bondage.

I can speak for myself when I say that keeping a healthy balance in my life has been a struggle. Our spirit fights with our flesh; we become slaves and it can lead to a life of misery and disfunctional behavior. We lose our self-esteem and self-respect. We gain self-judgement and self-rejection, which in turn brings shame. We become perfectionists developing blame, anger, and making excuses for using food, drugs, and other addictions to fight these painful feelings.

In Proverbs 16:11 it says, 'A just balance and scales belong to the Lord, and the weights of the bag is His concern.' Old habits are hard to break and lack of self-control and temperance brings persistant temptations and is a mark of spiritual immaturity. Without a balanced life you cannot be a leader or an example to others, whether Christians or unbelievers.

In modern day, our values have been overwhelmed with indulgence. When you over-indulge, you can escape from reality. The Bible condemns over-indulgence. A Christian must be consistant. Temperance must be applied to every area of our lives, food, money, family, and pleasure. We must also be temperate in all the means we use to satisfy our basic needs and desires. We can go to excess in almost everything we do. (1 Cor. 10:23)

Ask yourself...

1. What areas of my life lack balance?
2. Am I controled by these areas or do they control me?
3. Am I driven?
4. Am I satisfied with what I have accomplished or do I feel there's always more to do?
5. Do I have difficulty in relaxing?
6. Would I rather control life than surrender to it?
7. Do I live my life more in my head than in my heart?

Bringing balance into our lives is not easy. But with God's wisdom and courage it can be done. Start by looking at the list above and reverse the questions. For example, what would it be like to live much more from your heart than your head? How would you live, work, and relate to others if your heart was more often your guide than your head? Also, what does surrender (the healthy kind) mean to you? Have you ever considered it? How would it change you?

Next, don't give others the benefit of the doubt then doubt yourself. You must give yourself the same respect you give others. Don't forgive others for their mistakes yet hold grudges on yourself. Go before the Lord and ask Him to help you forgive yourself and help you bring balance into your life. Refuse to judge yourself again and remember the only judge you have to come before is your Father. Renew your mind according to the Word of God so that you can recondition the balance in your life and push forward. Ignore the critical voice that reduces your self-esteem and gain insight by aligning those thoughts to the Word of God. When you stumble, repent then forgive yourself and get in communication with the Lord through prayer and meditation.

'A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.' - Proverbs 11:1