Find the Balance

What were you doing when the Nor’easter came through over the weekend? Were you watching the weather or the skies as the clouds came rolling in? Have you ever been watching the weather when a storm starts moving toward your area? The forecast said there was a chance of heavy rain, strong winds, and even a severe storm. What did most of us do? We checked the forecast again. Maybe looked at the hour by hour. Some charged their phones. Others brought things inside. While others made sure we have what we need. I bet some even went out to fill up the gas tank or made sure there’s enough food in the house. We didn't know exactly what the storm would bring, but we could prepare for it.

There’s a difference between knowing what’s coming and being prepared for whatever comes. The same is true in our walk with God. We don't know what tomorrow holds. We can't predict every challenge, opportunity, disappointment, or blessing that may come our way. But that doesn't mean we sit around waiting for life to happen. Instead, we prepare ourselves by trusting God and faithfully doing what He has called us to do.

That mentality is all over Scripture. We see this in the story of Nehemiah. Jerusalem's walls were being rebuilt, but opposition was growing. Their enemies were angry, threats were being made, and suddenly the people faced a future they couldn't predict. Nehemiah didn't respond by pretending the danger wasn't real. He also didn't respond by simply sitting back and saying, “God will take care of it.” Instead Nehemiah set off to a different task. Scripture says we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat (Nehemiah 4:9 NIV).

There’s such balance in that verse. There was a threat on the building of the wall, so the first thing the Nehemiah led the people to was to pray. And then they prepared. They trusted God - and they took action. They recognized that the outcome was ultimately in God's hands, but they also understood that faithfulness required them to do what they could with what God had given them. And it’s so relevant to us today. Sometimes we think trusting God means we don't have to prepare. Other times we act as though everything depends on us. Nehemiah shows us another way. We pray like the outcome belongs to God, and we prepare like our obedience matters.

Maybe you don't know what your family will face this year. Maybe you don't know what will happen with your job, your finances, your health, or some decision you've been praying about. Maybe you don't know what the next season of life will bring. The good news is that you don't have to. You can pray today. You can strengthen your relationship with God today. You can serve someone today. You can share your faith today. You can take the next faithful step today. You don't prepare because you know exactly what tomorrow will bring. You prepare because you know who will be with you when tomorrow arrives. The people rebuilding Jerusalem didn't know what the next day would bring. But they knew where their confidence belonged. They prayed, they prepared, and they kept building. We can do the same.

God holds tomorrow. Our responsibility is to faithfully live today. Find the balance this week.