June 13
A Balanced Schedule
The Lord wants us to reach our full potential—to become the people He’s designed us to be and achieve the tasks He’s planned for us to do. In our pressurized society, we need to have balanced schedules if we’re going to live according to God’s purposes. When any area is out of balance, our relationship with the Lord and others will be affected, diminishing our effectiveness as servants of Christ.
1. Our top priority is spending private time with the Lord each day to develop our relationship with Him and receive guidance.
2. Time with family and friends is also essential because relationships are such an important part of God’s plans for our lives.
3. The area in which we are most likely to become imbalanced is our work. Although the Lord doesn’t approve of laziness, He doesn’t want us to be overly consumed with our careers either.
4. If we are to accomplish the Lord’s purposes in our lives, we need to take care of our bodies, allocating adequate time for exercise, rest, and recreation.
5. The Scriptures also clearly command meeting together regularly with other believers for worship (Heb. 10:24-25). While some people have limitations that hinder doing this, most of us have no excuse for being too busy for church.
These general areas all need space in your life, but I cannot tell you how to allocate time for them. The Lord has specific plans for each person, and He is the only one who can accurately direct your schedule. Seek His guidance, listen for His voice, and make the changes He brings to mind.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.
Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
