Finding and Keeping Balance…

Lesson 2 – A Solid Foundation

            In last week’s lesson we introduced our new series on finding and keeping balance.  I hope you walked away thinking about what areas of your life need a tune up, and what you might do differently to improve the substance and condition of your circumstance.  We are, as I state frequently, all works in progress and under construction, but each moment that God grants us, is yet another opportunity to draw closer to his promises and his purpose for our lives. 

God’s will for us is that we have everything we need that ‘pertains to life and Godliness’.  He has not called us to salvation and holiness without also having deposited in us all the things that we need in order to live these things out daily and practically.  We have a responsibility, as you may recall from the sermon on Sunday, to pursue God – to seek knowledge and to apply our hearts to wisdom!  As we pursue God, grace and peace are multiplied unto us! 

We Grow as we Go!

God deposited in us (according to His divine power when we were born again) everything we need - the virtues to sustain and manifest the new life that has been wrought in us through Jesus Christ!  These virtues within, being nourished and cultivated in us as we seek GOD, cause our lives to emanate with the glory of GOD!  We become portraits of balance and peace in the midst of a chaotic world!  The collateral blessings of peace of mind, contentment, and the joy of the Lord – the promises of His presence, ought to inspire us to keep going!

A Solid Spiritual Foundation

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.^[1]

Proverbs 3:5

Many of you already know that I love to work out and spend a fair amount of time in the gym.  One of the things I learned from working out and training is that having a strong core is absolutely necessary if one is to maintain balance.  In fact, having a well developed core actually gives stability to the rest of the body, as well as protecting against injury. 

            While it is not a perfect metaphor, having a determined center and solid spiritual foundation for our lives, is much the same as having a developed core when we talk about physical exercise.  When we have a solid foundation, we can move more effectively and more confidently.  We can change direction – we can adjust ourselves – we can stop, and then start again.  We have better balance, and we are less prone to injury when our core is strong! 

According to Proverb 3:5, what is our core? _________________________________________

What should be at the center of our core? ___________________________________________

Trusting in the LORD

            The word ‘trust’ in the passage for the lesson for tonight is translated from the Hebrew word ???????? [batach /baw·takh/].  This word is defined as trust most frequently but is also translated as confidence or boldness.  In context, the word appears as a verb so it implies some action.   Proverbs 3:5 is an imperative statement that includes the command to trust.  In this verse, we are not only told what to do [trust], but we are also told who and where [in the LORD], and also how [with all thine heart] we are to do it [leaning not to our understanding]!

            Our spiritual foundation ought to be sure and stable.  We ought to trust the LORD,   ???? [Yâhovah /yeh·ho·vaw/] with all of our heart (minds)!  We are exhorted to confidence in the LORD - confidence in His invisible power and in His super abounding grace!  This is the beginning of finding and keeping balance in our lives! 

When our foundation is sure, then we can move confidently forward in our lives, suspending our fears and anxieties!  We, if we are to be balanced, must move beyond leaning (resting, relying, supporting oneself) on our “own understanding” which is flawed and finite, and begin to operate according to who God is, and see things as God sees them!

Our first step toward a finding and keeping balance is having a strong spiritual foundation.  For the Christian, as our name implies – this foundation is Christ! 

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.