God's Word For You is a free Bible Study site committed to bringing you studies firmly grounded in the Bible – the Word of God. Holding a reformed, conservative, evangelical perspective this site affirms that God has provided in Jesus Christ his eternal Son, a way of salvation in which we can live in his presence guilt free, acquitted and at peace.

 
 

BALANCING LIFE'S DEMANDS

© Rosemary Bardsley 2016

Things people say:

You must spend time with each of your children every day.

You must spend time conversing with your husband every day.

You must make sure you look beautiful, attractive, unflustered - when your partner comes home each evening.

You must do at least half an hour's exercise daily.

You must enrol for professional development courses.

You must spend x hours praying daily.

You must spend x hours reading your Bible daily.

You must witness to x people every week.

You must get involved in regular service/ministry in your church.

There are so many things that people say are necessary for our survival - whether as an individual Christian, as a parent, as a spouse, as a member of the workforce. There is simply not enough time to do everything that people say is necessary.

So - how do we balance these demands? How to we identify our priorities?

QUESTION 1: WHAT DO WE VALUE MOST?

[What are our priorities?]

Jesus said:

Matthew 6:33
Matthew 10:37-38
Luke 14:16-24

 

What is more important?

Property
Work
Relations
Or Jesus Christ?

 

Consider what the men in each of these reports valued most:

Luke 16:19-31
Luke 18:18-30
Luke 19:1-10.

 

QUESTION 2: WHAT ARE WE AIMING FOR?

[What is our purpose?]

Isaiah 43:7 - we were created for God's glory.

Ephesians 2:10 - we were saved ['created in Christ'] for God's glory.

Matthew 5:16 - the outcome of God's glory should be the reason we do good works.

1Corinthians 10:31 - God's glory should be the motivating purpose in everything we do and in the way we do everything.

 

QUESTION 3: HOW DO WE VIEW OUR ACTIVITIES?

[What is our perspective?]

How do we perceive our actions, how do we think about all the things we have to do?

Colossians 3:23,24: We should do everything with all our heart as if we are doing it for Jesus.

Matthew 25:31ff: We should treat every human being as we would treat Jesus.

Ephesians 5:22: Wives should relate to their husbands as the relate to Jesus.

Ephesians 6:5ff: Employees should obey their employers as they would obey Jesus - wholeheartedly, from the heart, just as they would Jesus.

 

CONCLUSION

Our priority - Jesus Christ.

Our purpose - his glory.

Our perspective - to do all things as if we were doing them for him.

These three put a fence, setting the boundaries of acceptable words, actions and attitudes.

They make all the activities of our lives meaningful and deeply spiritual. [Unless they are things outlawed by this priority, purpose and perspective.]