5:33 – Seeking Balance or Harmony?

#faithbites #faithjourney harmony

Intro

I often talk about trying to seek a balance in my life. Do you? Maybe it’s a work/life, spend/save, family/self, work/play, or any other balance. The other day, I was talking to a good friend and she said she doesn’t seek balance but harmony. That hit me hard. Are we looking for the wrong thing with balance? Is harmony different?

Let’s get to some definitions by Merriam-Webster.

• Baloance – (3) – a state in which different things occur in equal or proper amounts or have an equal or proper amount of importance
• Harmony – (2) – a pleasing combination or arrangement of different things

Both definitions talk about ratios or arrangements of things.

Questions:

• What does Harmony and Balance mean to you?
• Is there a difference between the two?
• Does God want us to live in balance or in Harmony?

Scripture

• Romans 12:16-18 – Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
• 1 Peter 3:8 – Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
• Philippians 1:27 – Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Reflection

God tells us what harmony is. He wants us to live in harmony with one another. God describes how we should live is having a unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. He talks about us serving side by side and living peacefully with each other. This differs from balance. Balance is having equal (or proper) amounts of things. Balance of mind would be having the right amount of anger and happiness or love and hate. It would mean I know the proper amount of work vs home time. That’s balance but not harmony. Harmony is us knowing that all of these things the good, the bad, and the ugly are part of life and influence and grow us. When we settle for balance, we are settling for the good and the bad, instead of seeing how they work together. Harmony doesn’t mean life will be perfect, rather it shows how all pieces fit together.

As we close, seek harmony. Let balance go as it only shackles you to accept that I have to have x amount of bad to get y amount of good. Let’s seek all things in their proper amount to serve God and live in peace with one another.

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for friends who share your word. Thank you for the people you put in our lives who challenge our understanding and help us see in new ways. Lord, we pray for harmony. Let us have harmony in life, relationships, and in the world. Let us strive constantly to serve you and know that all things have a purpose. In your name, Amen.