In a life full of discernment and daily choices — very often involving life or death whether we realize it or not — how do we position ourselves to best make those decisions so they are both in line with God’s will and beneficial for our lives and the lives of those around us? The answer, St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us in his spiritual exercises, is balance.
That kind of balance requires a steady and sturdy fulcrum. For Christian believers, this solid, centering rock is our Triune — loving, healing and forgiving — God. This balance and reliance on God demands that we not set our own values and demand that God fall in line with them but, rather, that we hold our lives in balance before all the things we have to choose from — many of them seemingly equally good — allowing God to gently nudge us in one direction or the other. Everything we do, every choice we make and every experience we receive, is a chance to reflect to the world a little of what we have received from God as he leads and directs our lives. How we approach our days, how we respond to difficulties and tough choices, speaks God’s name and professes God’s perfect love. Perfect balance.
Ask yourself in silence: On what is my life centered and balanced? When does my life feel off kilter?
And that is the big question, isn’t it. What am I centering my life on? How did I get so far from what I want to be? How did I get lost? And maybe, now, finally, how do I get back on track. Thanks for your words today.