Last week, I wrote about a conversation I had the opportunity to be part of with Leighton Ford. A truly amazing man of faith who has walked his talk for decades. When I asked him a question about "balance" in life, he redirected me with a brilliant insight about the "Centered Life." Basically, after a lifetime of serving Christ all over the world, he believes seeking balance in life is a fruitless quest. Instead, he challenged me and the rest of us in the room to find our center in Jesus no matter what we are doing. When we are at home, center on Jesus and on those we love most. When we are with our church family, center on Jesus and building relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we are on the soccer field or baseball diamond with our kids, center on Jesus and encourage them to be the best they can be. Build relationships with the other parents and kids and do all you can to be a blessing to them in the name of Christ. When we are at work, center on Jesus and on doing your work well for the glory of God. Be a man or woman of peace in your office or among your colleagues. Basically, follow what Paul says in Colossians 3:17, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of Christ Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Clearly this message resonates. All of us have such busy lives and all of us struggle to fit everything in. We want to do it all. We want to have it all. We want to love God and love people. But the sheer amount of activity we are involved in conspires against us and pulls away from what's most important. In the wake of last week's post, I had a lot of folks ask me how to "Find the Center." They love the concept. They resonate deeply with the struggle. So where do we even begin?
Thankfully, God puts the cookies on the bottom shelf for us. He is not expecting some act of spiritual heroism but rather an everyday, earthy spirituality that engages our hearts and minds and helps us find our center in Christ and His Kingdom. Almost 25 years ago, my first Christian mentor shared these four steps with me that I've been practicing ever since and they have helped me not only "find my center" in Christ but grow deep relationships with Him and with those I love. Hope they help you as well!
- Daily Devotional Time: Make time at the beginning or end or even in the middle of your day to be with God. Read His Word. Pray. Sing. Whatever you need to do to draw close to Him. True saving faith rests on our knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us. Immerse yourself in the gospels. Pray through the Lord's prayer. Use the tools God has given us. And don't worry about how much or how long or if you are doing it "right." Start slowly and let it build. You can even use technology like the YouVersion app to help you get started, find a Bible reading plan, etc.
- Weekly Corporate Worship: Jesus not only loves each one of us, He loves His bride. The church. The local church. In all of her glorious brokenness! Gathering with God's people each week to worship Him for who He is keeps us humble. Keeps us outward focused. Keeps us growing. Keeps us engaged in community. It's not easy. It's often a struggle. The church is full of sinful, broken people who hurt each other far too regularly. But it is also the place where we learn to practice forgiveness. Extend grace. Celebrate. Weep. Comfort. Challenge. It's the crucible in which our faith is forged and it is something Jesus himself engaged in when He lived on this earth.
- Small Group of Friends: Deep relationships are key as well. Churches, even small ones, are too large for us to relate to everyone at the same level. We all need a small group of no more than 10-12 folks who we commit to doing life with. People who we can call at 2 a.m. and know they will be there. People who will pray for us. Challenge us to live more like Jesus. Hold us accountable. And encourage us in our spiritual journey. These are the folks we find the deepest intimacy with and there's just no substitute. Jesus had 12 disciples. He poured Himself into them. They were His best friends. Even when they were weak and confused or abandoned and denied Jesus, He loved them. That's what we all need as well!
- Find a place to serve: We all are given spiritual gifts to help build up the body of Christ. We all are given different passions and abilities for the specific purpose of contributing to the well-being and flourishing of our families, neighborhoods, churches, and communities. God gives us these gifts so we can share them with others. Giving ourselves away for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom is the most fulfilling work we can do in this life.
These four simple practices will keep you centered on Jesus. They will help you find your center when life is nuts and storms are swirling all around you. They will sustain you in the darkest of times and they will enrich your life in so many ways. I know life is busy. I have four children who are all very active. I have a wonderful job that keeps me running. I have so many friendships and relationships that I am trying to maintain. So I get it. But rather than let these demands run my life, I have made a commitment to create a rhythm that helps keep me centered on Jesus. May you find the rhythm that keeps you centered as well!