Overwhelmed? Empty? Finding our Balance in Life

It's November and here they come... the Holidays:
   Tons of food with calories galore,
       lots of family and all those complicated relationships,
           gifts and decor to buy with increased spending, bills, and debt,
     or perhaps none of these. Maybe the Holidays leave us feeling utterly desolate and hollow. Or maybe overwhelmed and hollow.

Isn't there a balance? Must we be either overwhelmed with too much or left feeling empty and hollow?


The Christian spiritual discipline answering that question is called "stewardship". Now before you move on to something else, hear me out. I'm not speaking primarily of money. I'm speaking of governing everything God has given us in this life, including time, relationships, skills, character, and wealth.

Stewardship IS the counterbalance to feeling overwhelmed by life or feeling life is hollow. The fundamental paradigm of stewardship is this:

All we have is given us by God and none of it truly belongs to us. 

Our time is life is limited. The amount of money we can make in a lifetime is limited. The number of skills and talents we can develop is limited. Even the number of meaningful relationships we can have is limited. Thus stewardship is the spiritual discipline of using all these well, to their full potential.

That might sound like 'investing', using our resources well to maximize their potential, but there is a key difference between investing and stewardship. Investing is designed to serve our own personal ends, whether personal gain, philanthropy, or future planning. Conversely, stewardship is aimed at whatever God is aiming at. We never achieve lasting balance by getting what we selfishly want. What God wants is ultimate abundance and equity for all. But, like successful investing, wise stewardship doesn't happen accidentally! Thus the second key to stewardship and to balance is this:

God knows better than I, the greatest good that can come from the gifts God has given me. 

Let's go back to the Holidays and either being overwhelmed or left bereft. The balance of stewardship comes from appealing to God's will over our own and over the pressures of society and family. Just because we want it doesn't mean we should get it. Just because others ask it of you doesn't mean you have to give it. Stewardship is asking "What does God want of me with what God has given me" and knowing that God will give you everything necessary to do what God hopes of you.

Stewardship keeps us from straining to acquire, hoard, and protect what is ultimately God's. And stewardship protects us from coming away empty handed in the end. Be good stewards. Find the balance God intends for your life.