Imbalance

im·bal·ance

/imˈbaləns/

noun: “lack of proportion or relation between corresponding things”

A state of being where all the right components are present, but the ratio is off…too much or not enough of one thing, causing the inverse of another.

Let me give you a different example. Suppose you have the new Ferrari Portofino. By all accounts, this is a beautiful, finely tuned machine, made for the road. But what if that road was a mind field of loose asphalt, riddled with mammoth potholes and super-sized speed bumps every 100 feet? Not necessarily “ideal” and definitely an imbalance in car to road performance ratio, don’t you think?

Here I lie, imbalanced. Mind working at warp speed, body unable to translate. Somehow, there was a shift, and I missed it. Or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention? Regardless, I thought I had gotten myself back in balance, ready to conquer the world, running on all cylinders. Maybe that’s my issue…I returned to old unhealthy habits.

One thing I have learned through the roller coaster of my last few years is this: it’s so easy to unknowingly exist in a state of imbalance…until the scale becomes completely unbalanced, and you come crashing down. Or is this just how it works for me? I have a feeling, though, that I’m not alone in this arena.

Balance, in this world, especially with our current combative climate, through this crazy pandemic, might seem unobtainable. But as I lie here, it comes to me in a moment of clarity…I not only lack balance, I’m completely missing my foundation! I’ve stopped seeking Him first. Traditional worship has been removed. I’ve become haphazard in my prayer life.

Do I think God caused our current less than desirable condition? Absolutely not! Do I believe our lack of priorities has resulted in an imbalance? Absolutely! A little more Netflix (Prime, YouTube, social media, pick your poison) and a little less God is a recipe for disaster, in any climate…but particularly one as tumultuous as our present position.

You see, the difference between imbalance and in balance is this: a little less of one thing (shave a portion off the ‘m’) and a little more space added in front of balance (so it has room to breathe). And what we breathe (ie take in) is equally important. Scrolling through all the latest negative commentary on a school district parent group, drinking and eating whatever whenever, or binge watching mindless TV/videos/TikToks does NOT lead you down the path towards balance (madness is more likely).

I think in our toilet paper hoarding mindset, we have almost completely lost sight of what Italians call “quanto basta” (just enough). We don’t have definitive answers in so many areas of our lives that we grasp at whatever we can get our hands on. And in our desperate attempt to get a handle on things, instead of getting “just enough,” we are drowning ourselves in garbage. Eating garbage. Watching garbage. Buying tons of garbage. Making ourselves feel like garbage.

“Dear friends, you already know these things. So be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of people who have no principles. Then you won’t fall from your firm position. But grow in the good grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to him now and for that eternal day! Amen.”

2 Peter 3:17-18 GW

We must return to longing, seeking, searching, worshipping and praising what will last far beyond anything this temporal world offers. We must beware the siren song of imbalance that beacons us away from being in balance. We must master what matters—pursuing what’s best. Him.