“To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

Lesson purpose: To help servants of the Lord learn how to keep everything in balance in all aspects of life so they know what to give proper priority and attention to in the most important areas without neglecting other areas.

This is something I struggle with tremendously. What about you? I have a hard time saying no to certain things. For instance, I can manage my time well, but it’s hard because so much is on my plate.

Between volleyball practice, spending time with the important people in my life, preparing for net lessons, worship team practice, the big speech that’s due Thursday, I also told my friends we could hang out sometime, and I told my mom I would help her with the laundry sometime before I went to bed because she helped me…(Well, maybe she forgot)…

How many can relate? Life is stressful, especially as you grow older. All of us play multiple roles in life and have corresponding responsibilities for each of those roles we play.

We often become so overwhelmed by all the pressures of life that we might feel as if we are doing a constant juggling act, trying to keep everything going all at the same time. We fear that if we ever stop juggling, all the balls will come crashing down around us.

Consequently, we wear ourselves out physically, emotionally and spiritually as we desperately strive to be all things to all people at all times.

However, there’s good news! You don’t have to stay on the frantic racetrack of life 24/7 running as fast as you can and never arriving at your final destination on time and with your sanity intact. When you learn how to set godly priorities in your life, you’ll find time for the things that are truly important without sacrificing yourself in the process.

First of all, God is your no. 1 priority. God is first and foremost over all. He created you, so the least you can do is dedicate your life to Him, making Him your first priority. Is it that much to ask?

When you accept Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you willingly have surrendered first place in your life to Him. In proclaiming Him, you are acknowledging Him as Master. No longer is it all about “me” or “my” and “mine,” but about Him. Life becomes centered on Christ and His will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus chose the Father’s will over Him own. Are you similarly submitted to God? (Matthew 26:42).

Your relationship with God is the most important priority in your life. When it is strong and vibrant, all your other priorities become much easier to manage. When it is weak, all other priorities will suffer!

Second, putting God first begins in the heart. The heart that is surrendered to God will be evident in the way daily life is conducted. The person who has given God top priority will demonstrate it in three main areas.

• Prayer: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (Colossians 4:2). Prayer is essential to keeping God first. We all must grow in this area of life—there’s no way around it if we truly want to have a close relationship with the Father. There are no hard and fast rules to guide you, and what works for one person may not work for you; but the basic point is that you spend time alone with God. Here in your secret place, you will learn to recognize God’s voice. The amount of time you set apart to be with God is not nearly as important as the constancy of praying. Most people find it easier to start with a small amount of time. As they develop the habit of constant prayer, they gradually will increase the amount of time spent in this crucial spiritual discipline.

• Bible Study: “For the Word of God is alive and powerful; it is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow; it exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12). You must read God’s Word on a regular basis if you expect to keep Him first in your life. How can you grow in knowledge of Him if you don’t know what His Word declares about Him? How can you gain godly perspective on life if you don’t know what the Bible proclaims? As with prayer, start with small sessions and gradually increase the amount of time you spend reading His Word.

• Obedience: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evil doers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23). When God is first in your life, obedience naturally follows. Obedience to the general truths found in Scripture, as well as obedience to God’s specific guidance in your life, proves that He has first priority. To say you know and love Him, but to refuse to obey Him proves He does not have first place. Putting God first does not mean failing to take responsibility, work hard or use good judgment under the pretext of trusting God! When you put God first, it means giving to God and God alone the first place in your heart with the humble recognition that you belong to Him. It means seeking first and submitting to His Lordship!

Third, your family is your second priority!
1.) After your relationship with God comes your relationship with your family! Your family should be a picture of Christ to the world, but if you don’t devote the time necessary to achieving this image, your family will be no different from any other non-Christian family.
2.) Most people say their family is important to them, but few people act in such a way that proves it. When your family has high priority in your life, relationships are protected and cherished. Family members are not neglected or taken for granted, and the needs of the family are not shoved into a dark corner until you can find the time to deal with them.
3.) Some people go to the opposite extreme. They are overly involved and place too much emphasis on the family relationship. It is possible to attach so much value to your family that it becomes more important to you than God! If you always have time to do things with your family, but never time to pray, read the Word or be alone with God, you might not be giving enough priority to your family relationships.
4.) Take the time to put your family in proper priority. You have to determine that next to God, family is the most important thing in your life. Recognize and embrace your God-given responsibilities to your family.
5.) Ministry comes after your personal relationships with God and family. How many are surprised ministry is third on the list? How many think that’s where it belongs? If your personal relationship with God is neglected in the name of ministry or if your family is neglected and out of order because of ministry, it is doubtful that any real ministry is taking place. Scripture tells us our homes must be in order if we want to minister for the Lord. This does not mean you or your family members have to be perfect, but it does mean that basic order must be present.
6.) Keep ministry in proper perspective. A personal relationship is based on who you are in Christ: a child of God, unconditionally loved and accepted by the Father. Ministry however is what you do for God, originating from your personal relationship with Him.

Joyce Meyer has a great explanation: The who is always more important than the do. Your ministry to God may change according to the season you are in. Ministry is a lot like other things in the Christian faith in that the key is not so much what you do or how much time it takes, but the fact that you are consistently involved in serving the Lord in some capacity. Sometimes work or family responsibilities will require you to scale back your ministry involvement; other times the ministry needs will be so crucial that you have to sacrifice time that normally would be spent with your family.

The key to finding balance in all parts of your life is to have the general priorities of God, family and ministry determined. Then, remain flexible as circumstances require. Setting priorities is never meant to establish rigid boundaries that never bend, but to give you a standard to aim for and general guidelines to assist you as you try to balance the various aspects of your life.