The chicken before the egg.
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
Balance is one of those things that I believe is in a constant state of achieving and trying to re-achieve as new seasons bring new demands and responsibility. Balance is, for me, a cruel test where the questions are always changing, but the skill itself remains constant. At the core of it, I struggle with balance because I struggle with priorities. It’s one thing to say that God is my priority, but when school, my boyfriend, Netflix, and sleep all begin asking for time, am I truly committed to God having His spot? Truth be told, I am not always strict enough with life about my boundaries with time. I tell God, “but I have 28 kids in my class so I have to bring work home that’s why I can’t pray tonight.” or “I finally got a boyfriend who loves you and me, so I have to make time to talk to him instead since we’re long distance. But thank you for the blessing!” Backward, right? Never fear, the Holy Spirit grabs me whenever I start to drift a little too far left. He told me to “set your mind,” which means to decide something and stick with it.
For example, if God put those specific kids in my class, then He has already made the provision for their care. He has already made out the details for how they are going to be taken care of while I am present AND when I am away, nurturing my spirit. My job is simple and singular. Matthew 6:33 says it this way: “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.” That means if I am unapologetic and unwavering in seeking the kingdom-His will, His mind, His timing, His strategy- then the promise can be fulfilled. The promise that provisions of peace, energy, love, patience, words, wisdom, connections, will all flow naturally.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord for your infinite wisdom. I don’t have to get all my juggling perfect before I sit down with You. I sit down with you, period. I make it a non-negotiable in my day, and by grace, the juggling will come naturally after. It is the chicken before the egg. Focus on nurturing the source first, and the biproduct will come. Thank You for a growing sensitivity to balance. Thank you for the gentle reminders and wisdom to re-adjust. I love You more than the things I continue to put in your place.
Challenge:
Make a list of everything you have to do today, this week, this month. Now put God in a set time. I challenge you to adhere to His time above anything else, and move your life around Him. See if He won’t give you grace and favor for the “all these things”. He deserves to be your priority in real life, not just on paper.
