Wisdom for 2024: Life is not Static

Wisdom for 2024: Life is not Static

Ecclesiastes 3:2–4 (NIV)            

"A time to be born and a time to die, 

a time to plant and a time to uproot,    

a time to kill and a time to heal,           

a time to tear down and a time to build,            

a time to weep and a time to laugh,      

a time to mourn and a time to dance."

"It's the central myth of the modern workplace: With a few compromises, you can have it all. But it's all wrong, and it's making us crazy. The truth is, balance is bunk. It is an unattainable pipe dream. The quest for balance between work and life, as we've come to think of it, isn't just a losing proposition; it's a hurtful, destructive one." Keith Hammonds, "Balance is Bunk!" 

Life is not static, linear, or uniform. It moves, oscillates, vibrates, and pulsates. 

Whether we are looking at blood pressure, brain activity, or respiration, we want to see healthy, rhythmic variations. A well-lived life will find ways to harmonize with created rhythms. We're part of the great symphony of life, but in our technological society, we have drowned out the music. When sound loses rhythm, it ceases to be music and degenerates into mere noise. 

I was driving a friend's ski boat recently, and I did not know it was low on oil until a loud alarm began to sound—an annoying, monotone buzz that would not stop. That's what life without rhythm sounds like. 

We wonder why we are stressed, anxious, and guilt-ridden. It's because we're out of step. Our lives don't feel right because we are not living in sync with our natural rhythms. We've turned the music into noise—or worse yet, we've tried to manage the music by ordering its tones without regard to life's rhythms.

The moon's phases, the sea's tides, the earth's seasons—cycles and seasons fill nature. Bears hibernate, and birds migrate. Trees flower, and plants bloom in spring. The stars mark time as they march across the sky. 

Days and years carry their rhythms. You cannot break the cycle of day and night. The sun will rise, and the sun will set. A rhythm model recognizes and celebrates the rhythms of life. It fits our lives. More accurately, our lives should flow in the rhythms of life that God designed.

Rhythm offers a more powerful and vibrant model for life. It honors time and movement. It celebrates variety and diversity. It highlights the uniqueness and recognizes common patterns. Rhythm honors the sacrifice required for achievements while also embracing rest for renewal.

Intrigued by the idea of "rhythm" over "balance" but unsure where to start? Click here.