PRINCIPLES FOR LIVING A BALANCED LIFE

By Joel Osteen

A PRAYER FOR A BALANCED LIFESTYLE 

Dear God,

I know that You have created me with a purpose and plan. I know it is Your desire that I too have a life filled with joy, purpose and victory. Please help me today to fulfill the destiny You have planned for my life. I know that in order to do this, I must live a life obedient to Your Word, and a life of balance, with my priorities in the proper place and my heart focused on You.

Dear Lord, help me to attain that balance in all areas of my life. Examine my heart, and show me those places where I may be out of balance. Help me to focus on the things that are most important, and keep me from being distracted by the things that would steal my time and attention. Protect me from those things that try to keep me from reaching my goals and achieving the dreams that you have put in my heart.

And most of all, dear God, remind me daily that You have called me to be fruitful, not just busy. Give me the wisdom and strength to produce in abundance that which is most important and constructive in my life and the lives of those around me. Thank you for your constant presence and for helping me to grow and increase in every area of my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Principles for Living a Balanced Life

1. Make a list of the things where you spend most of your time and money.

Ask yourself; Why are you doing the things you are doing?

2. Identify your priorities.

Decide what things are most important to you. Set your schedule around those priorities. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by things that are less important. Stay Focused!

3. Make a commitment to your health.

Take time to rest and reenergize.

4. Focus on building relationships and making memories.

Give your family and friends the time they deserve.

5. Spend time with God every day.

Pray and read your Bible. If this is new for you, just start with 10-15 minutes each day.

6. Get involved with other believers.

Attend a Bible believing church in your area and support that church with your faithful attendance, tithing and service to others.

A Brief Checklist to Help You Achieve Balance in Your Life

Sometimes the hardest part of trying to change old habits is just getting started! So here's a worksheetyou can download and use to help identify which areas of your life are in good shape and which may need some attention. Take time to prayerfully and thoughtfully fill in this worksheet, and then use this to make any adjustments needed to bring your life into balance. Use an extra sheet if you need more space.

• Things I spend most of my time doing: 
• What do I want the priorities in my life to be? What are the things in life that I value most? 
• How many of my priorities are being accomplished by my current schedule as I have listed above?
• What changes need to be made based on the differences between my current schedule and my priorities? 
  
  
  LET US STRIP OFF ANYTHING THAT SLOWS US DOWN OR HOLDS US BACK.   – HEBREWS 12:1 (TLB)