Note: Beginning today, “Wednesday Words” will now include both writings from other writers one week, followed by one of my blogs the following week. Thanks for being a loyal reader
In 2017, I wrote a post on “10 Balancing Acts in Ministry.” Now five years later—and I five years older, now in my 60s—I’m still learning balance. Some issues are still the same (meaning, I really need to keep learning), but others have gained urgency. Maybe you relate to some of them:
- Balancing urgency and rest. I know rest matters (especially as I get older), but I also recognize there’s much gospel work to be done, with only so much time to get it done. Too much rest feels like wasted time to me now.
- Balancing local needs and global needs. I see the needs in my local community, but my missionary heart also sees the massive needs of the world. Figuring out how to do both with limited time is a challenge.
- Balancing saving and spending. Pam and I are quite thrifty, but we also recognize needs we can help meet now through our giving. Because we have no children to whom we might leave anything, we’re wrestling with how much we should spend while we can.
- Balancing evangelizing and discipling. The evangelist in me says “Focus on lost people.” The disciplemaker in me says, “Prepare others to carry on the work after you.” I’m still learning how to do both—but I must.
- Balancing present-tense responsibilities and future-tense options. I don’t want to miss opportunities; in fact, I drive my wife crazy by my openness to “new things” still to come. At the same time, I must stay focused where I am. That’s a challenge for me.
- Balancing local church ministry with my speaking ministry. This “balancing act” may be somewhat unique in my situation, but it’s real. Serving in my own church while also fulfilling my ministry and teaching opportunities has not been easy.
- Balancing family time with ministry time. It’s just my wife and I, but COVID allowed us to spend more time together as a couple than we had in a long time. Now, as ministry opportunities begin to open again, I’m trying to find the right balance.
- Balancing the spiritual and the physical. At least for me, age has made me more aware of the need to take care of myself physically. Some days, I over-focus there, but other days I do too little. I’m figuring out how to take care of myself both spiritually and physically at the same time.
- Balancing my teaching, preaching, and missionary heartbeats. I love all three, and I’m privileged with the opportunity to do all three. Trying to fulfill all three callings (thus, not wanting to say “no” to any opportunity), can be exhausting. Even unhealthy, perhaps.
- Balancing friendships with believers and non-believers. It’s easier to spend time with believers, but non-believers need our proclamation witness and our presence, too (in fact, my blog post for Friday of last this week addressed this issue, as the Lord has been convicting me about building friendships with non-believers).