Balanced?

May 11

It was such a relief when my spiritual mentor told me, “A balanced life is a myth.”

The author’s messy office while living a not-so-balanced- life.

Maybe you know this myth well. It tells us that life can be neatly divided into compartments, and that we can give the right amount of energy, attention, and productivity to each one. Nothing falls behind. Nothing becomes chaotic. Nothing is strained. Nothing spills over. Nothing costs too much.

If one is looking for balance, do not read the Gospel.

Throughout the Gospel, Jesus’ plans are constantly interrupted. One of my favorite illustrations is the healing of the blind man, Bartimaeus, in Mark 10:46-52. Jesus was on the move when Bartimaeus cried out to him. My favorite line comes from verse 49, “And Jesus stood still.”

Imagine standing still when all you were trying to do was get somewhere. In the Gospel, the interruption becomes the ministry.

St. Francis de Sales preached not about balance, but about fidelity. His question is not, “Have I perfectly balanced all the demands in my life?” Instead, it is, “Am I faithfully loving and living God’s will in this moment?”

Now this is where the gentleness, patience, and sweetness of Francis shows. He shows a rootedness in God’s will in this moment.

Francis writes often about anxiety because he knew it well. He understood how easily the soul becomes restless trying to balance everything, control everything, and hold everything together. But anxiety is not peace, and perfection is not holiness.

I write this today while sitting in my office, which looks as though a tornado passed through it. Are all the emails answered, projects underway, and documents neatly filed? No.

Will I clean up this space when I finish this reflection? Yes. But more than that, is my heart willing to “stand still” when asked, even when all I am trying to do is get to the next place?

Incline my heart to you, oh Lord.

May God be praised!