I have found lately that my life consists mainly of work, school, and homework, and I always feel overwhelmed. Although I read Biblical meditations in the morning and night, I always think the balance in my life between spiritual and worldly pursuits is very wrong. Just wondering if you have any advice for me or anyone else who is in a position like I am in.
The struggle that you indicate is not an uncommon one. When you write about ‘worldly pursuits’ I assume you are talking about the school, work and homework. In and of itself, that is not ‘worldly’ in the sense of sinful for it is our duty to give our time and energy to these causes. It also will be normal that you will spend relatively speaking more hours to that work than to the spiritual devotions that you have in the morning and evening. I think that the Lord understands that also. To neglect our daily duties of work, study, family etc. because we are so spiritual is something that Paul rebuked in a segment of the Thessalonian congregation that were not working (2 Thess. 3:11-12). God commands us to be diligent in our daily calling but that may never gobble up our time of devotion. Jesus rebuked Martha for that.
So my advice is that you is to be disciplined. Setting a time aside in the morning and/or evening for personal time with God and His Word is vital. You must protect those set-aside moment for often many things will seek to crowd them out. Those times are the moments in which the spiritual relationship with God is nurtured and deepened. Those devotional times also prepare us for the task of the day with all the challenges that we have.
Make the best of these devotional hours. Switch off the phone/computer connections with the world (Jesus called that ‘go into the closet) and allow no one to interrupt your time with the Word and prayer. If the body doesn’t cooperate (tired, sluggish, distracted) we need to fight in appropriate ways to summon our body to the importance of this time. I personally find that writing helps me to concentrate and think more deeply over what I read or need. Writing in a journal just adds so much to the depth of your own meditations.
Lastly, guard God’s holy day to keep it holy. One day in the week God has privileged us with a day in which we may leave all work as much as possible ‘at work’ and concentrate our time on the fellowship with Him and with each other. You notice that God didn’t require six day of ‘being with Him’ and one day of work. Though one can work six days a week, he or she can still have the priority on the day of the Lord as the most important aspect of their life.
May these thoughts help you on the way.