Adapted from The Leader’s Balanced Life

As our lives grow busier and busier, we can become too focused on our role inside the workplace and not focused enough on our role outside the workplace. If we are not careful, our 9 to 5 job becomes our 24-hour obsession, leaving little time for our friendships.

The Spiritual Call for Relationships

To achieve a balanced life, we must recognize that our relationships should not suffer because of our career. In Matthew 22:37-39, God commanded us to love the Lord with our whole being and love our neighbors as ourselves. This command reveals to us an image of a flourishing life. When living as God envisioned, we are actively nurturing our relationship with God and others.

The Physical Need for Relationships

Relationships also benefit us from a physical health perspective. When we neglect relationships, our physical health suffers. People who are socially isolated are as likely as smokers to suffer illness and premature death. In part, this may be due to the increased levels of anxiety and stress. According to the American Institute for stress, “Strong social support is a powerful stress buster.” Wholesome community reduces the heart’s sensitivity to stress, improving our ability to relax.

God designed us to lean on one another for strength—to thrive on love and community. This week, think about the relationships that God has blessed you with. Ask God what He wants you to do to strengthen these relationships in the coming days.

Click here to learn more about how LTI trains leaders to find balance in their lives.