Balance for a Good Life

Most Americans believe that the secret to happiness is having more, going faster, or working harder. In reality, happiness is a byproduct of balance.

Balance is hard. Our natural tendency is to overreach, to go too far, and to want too much. It’s like the reporter who asked billionaire John D. Rockefeller who, when asked “How much money is enough?” answered, “Just a little bit more.”

We all answer, “Just a little bit more,” in some area of life. For some it’s money, gambling, or drugs and alcohol. For others it’s food, shopping, or sex. For you, maybe it’s something else, but your desire for more is out of balance.

Even too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Our bodies need water but drinking too much can be fatal. Fire warms our skin – but it burns us if we get too close. Healthy people prioritize balance because they recognize that more is not always the answer for happiness. They understand that when something rules your life, too much is never enough. Going faster, having more, and working harder have their place. But they also have their limitations. None of it will satisfy the deepest needs of our soul. And none of it will bring us happiness.

The greatest abundance we can enjoy is found in the intimacy of a good marriage, the connection of a good friendship, the love of a strong family, and the joy of an abiding faith in Jesus Christ.