Balance

March 24, 2021

Paul Tripp, author of our favorite devotional, New Morning Mercies, recently posted that there are 3 central attributes of our lives… “God, relationships and work.”

Thinking about work, we can easily find reward, satisfaction, security, recognition and friendships. In fact, we are so drawn to work that our family relationships and spiritual life often suffer or are neglected.

As to life’s second attribute, we are profoundly relational beings. We all need and seek relationships and connection. One reason we are tired of self- isolation is that we need the physical connection with friends, family and acquaintances. Lack of these things causes loneliness and depression. (That reminds me of the old relationship story that in a divorce, a woman will have 4 or 5 close friends and a man will have his dog!)

Covid 19 has slowed life down and reminded us how important it is to keep these 3 areas in balance and prioritized. We have felt loneliness; we have missed relationships; and we have paused from work and enjoyed aspects of living and relationships that we may have overlooked in busier times.

And finally, this season has reminded us of the most important aspect of living… our life with God. Without that, all else becomes purposeless and empty. With it we have love, joy, peace and hope thru all the vicissitudes of life. We choose our priorities. Let’s keep them right and put our Heavenly Father on the throne of our life where He can fill us with His presence and make our lives full and complete and worth living.

Pope Francis reflecting on Covid 19 recently stated, “it is a time to choose what matters and what passes away; a time to separate what is necessary from what is not; a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you Lord, and to others.”

Don Wolf, elder