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In the beautiful country that our family called home for nine years, one of the major modes of transportation is the humble bike–both motorbikes and bicycles. For centuries, people on our island have mastered the art of balancing their loads across the narrow bars of a bicycle. No matter how many times I witnessed men and women driving piles of goods to the market on the back of their motorcycles, I always wondered if today might be the day the whole pile would come crashing down in a heap on the road in front of me!
It takes a great deal of balance to maneuver such a load through the narrow, bustling streets of our town. Similarly, it takes a great deal of balance to live and minister overseas. The demands of living cross-culturally are taxing and require a great deal of determination and intentionality. How do we maneuver such a landscape without the whole load crashing in around us?
Frankly, I came to resent the word “balance” during my time overseas! It seemed too lofty of a goal, and one that was unattainable. Balance meant risking the teetering, swerving motions as I weighed each responsibility that summoned my attention on any given day.
Now that I live on the other side of the globe, balance continues to elude me. Yet God’s Word challenges me to see balance in a new light. You see, balance is more about your center of gravity, where you sit. Just as the Asian motorcyclist depends on more than just a perfectly positioned load, we too must depend on more than just a formulated daily schedule that looks good on paper. We need to be centered on Christ, allowing Him to change the way we think, to welcome Him into the deepest parts of our hearts so that He can continue His transforming work.
THIS is what brings true balance and stability. Not a perfectly balanced schedule or a new Daily Planner ordered on Amazon (although I can’t say that won’t help!). Christ offers us true balance amid our crazy, busy, cross-cultural life!
The Oxford English Dictionary defines balance as “a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.” What are some practical ways you have found to balance your daily ministry responsibilities with your daily life realities (mothering, being a wife, keeping up a home, etc.)?
First and foremost, keeping God front and center, and inviting Him into the beginning of the day, consciously bringing my “To-Do list” before His feet in the morning! This step of faith is helpful for my own heart, and reminds me that it is not MY life, but His. Another thing that really helps me is to develop the skill of delegating tasks better. We had the amazing gift of great house helpers on our field, and the wonderful women who helped me over the years became like sisters to me. But I had to learn to make the most of their help, to think through what things would be most advantageous and beneficial for our family. There were also times I poured too much into “ministry” and forgot to spend time in rest or time at Jesus’ feet or time just playing with my boys or being intimate with my husband. But one thing I could always count on—God was always faithful to guide me, to show me where I was lacking, and to lead me into truth! He knows we are not perfect, and that we are works in progress!