The Myth of Balance

 

A myth is something that you may believe, but it is not true. The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, and as Frank Bealer talks about– the Myth of Balance.

Have you found it difficult to acheive balance in your life or your ministry?  Don’t worry, even the Jedi Council had trouble finding balance:

Mace Windu: You refer to the prophecy of The One who will bring balance to the Force. You believe it’s this boy?

Obi-Wan Kenobi: You were the Chosen One! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!

 

Balance Doesn’t Exist

Simply put, balance doesn’t exist. This book would have been one I could have used in the early years of my ministry. I think it is a popular misconception that one can achieve balance in life and ministry, something we strive for. But as I get older and hopefully a bit wiser, I agree with Frank. Balance is a myth. It doesn’t exist.

Through personal examples and practical questions, Frank does a very good job explaining the dangers of believing in a myth.  He doesn’t stop there, because most of us can come up with examples of how our lives have spun out of balance, and the damage that downward spiral created. Frank ends many chapters with a practical activity. The goal of the activities is to help us change our mindset– from believing in a myth, to accepting reality.

You may have heard the prhrase “if this, then that,” meaning if this happens, then that will happen too. Or Newton’s third law of thermodynamics: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Frank changes this a bit, to be more realistic. No longer should our thought be “if something happens,” but rather “when something happens.”

“Your ministry can and will take over your life”.  

        (Frank’s wife, Jess Bealer, pg 16 The Myth of Balance)

The reality is you cannot anticipate all the things that life or ministry will throw at you. But you can have a plan in place for when something happens you weren’t expecting.  Because you can be sure those curveballs will come. By being prepared you can avoid some of the heartache Frank describes in his stories, and that I have personally experienced. It is a change of mindset– start thinking of a plan for “when” something comes up, rather than “if” something comes up.

 

• What will you do when a meeting is scheduled and you already have your kid’s football game to attend?
• What will you do when you get called to the hospital instead of the date night you have been planning?

 

While I know better now, I once believed balance could be achieved- and if I wasn’t balanced, then I needed to work harder. That in turn caused life to be even more unbalanced, and the spiral continued. I can’t help but think some of my unbalance could have been avoided if I had a book like this. I could have used the “when this then that” formula long ago.

 

Not only has Frank written a great book, he is also doing an 8 week workshop via Facebook.  It doesn’t get more practical than this.

Check out the book, and the workshop at: mythofbalance.com  or see the reviews and get one on Amazon at: Myth of Balance

 

 

 

 

Frank Bealer is executive director of Leadership Development at The reThink Group (also known as Orange) and the CEO of Phase Family Centers. Before joining Orange, he was family pastor at Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is driven to helping leaders develop to their full potential. Frank and his wife, Jess, have four children.