The Key to a Balanced Life: Jesus

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Building My Life on Values That Last

The Key to a Balanced Life: Jesus By Rick Warren — Nov 30, 2015 “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.”(Matthew 6:33 NCV) If you want to live a truly balanced life, you can only look at one person in all of history as a model: Jesus. If you put him at the center of your life, your life will be more balanced. Think of your life like a wheel. The center of the wheel is a hub. All of the spokes of your life (which represent your relationships, your family, your career, your goals, etc.) come from that hub. We all build our lives around some sort of hub. The question is, what will be your hub? Will it be your family? Will it be your career? Will it be money? Or will it be Jesus? How do you do know what you’re building your life around? Take a look at whatever you think about the most. That’s what is driving you. The center of your life is critical to developing a balanced life. A solid center leads to a solid life. A weak, flimsy center leads to a weak life. When I hear people tell me that their lives are coming unglued, it usually means one thing: They have a faulty center. Something other than God has taken priority in their lives. Not only does the hub create stability, but it also controls and influences everything else about your life. Whatever you put at the center of your life will also be your source of power. The power of a wheel always emanates from the center outward — never the other way around. Make Jesus the center of your life, and he’ll provide the stability, control, and power you need for your life. The Bible says, “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well” (Matthew 6:33 NCV). Don’t worry about making Jesus first in your life. Put him in the center of your life. Let him direct your life, influence it, empower it, and give it stability. Do that and all the other areas of your life — from your family to your career to your goals — will find balance in Jesus. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over If you looked at your life as a wheel, what would be in the center? What are the biggest distractions for you to having a balanced life? What do you think is the biggest obstacle to putting Jesus at the center of your life? Today’s Scripture “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.” (Psalm 68:5, NLT) SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS Father to the Fatherless Many people today carry hurt and insecurity because they didn’t have a relationship with their earthly father the way God intended. But no matter how you were raised or where you are in life today, you do have a wonderful Heavenly Father; and you were born with a purpose and a destiny. God promises to meet all of your needs because He is the Father to the fatherless and defender of widows! Every morning when you get up, look up toward the heavens and just imagine that your Heavenly Father is smiling down on you. He loves you. He believes in you. He will guide and protect you. He will never leave you. You are His most prized possession. He has you in the palm of His hand. Open your heart and allow Him to heal you with His love. Choose forgiveness and let Him strengthen and empower you to fulfill the wonderful destiny He has in store for you! A Prayer for Today “Father, thank You for choosing me as Your own. I open my heart to You today and ask that You fill me with Your peace, love and forgiveness as I follow Your ways. Thank You for being my Heavenly Father in Jesus’ name. Amen.”