The Struggle for Spiritual Balance

I’ve struggled with balance most of my adult life—my time, my budget, my activities. But recently, my major struggle is maintaining balance when I stand on one leg.

Why do I want to stand on one leg? In exercise classes, we often work on balance. One of the more challenging moves is the Tree Pose. In this pose, we stand on one leg while resting the foot of the opposing leg against the calf or thigh of the standing leg. On some days, all I can manage is to keep my foot on my ankle.

It could also be called the Bird Pose. Think of a stork or a flamingo standing on one leg.

 Because aging often affects balance, it’s important to practice it. You know the old adage: use it or lose it.

I learned the best way to hold a balancing stance is to fix my gaze on a single object. So, I find a marker on the floor in front of me. It might be a smudge, a laminate seam, or my mat’s corner. I glue my eyes to that spot.

My eyes remain steady, and my mind is fixed on the goal of blocking distractions, such as a wobbling classmate or the HVAC kicking on. I force myself to concentrate.

As I stood practicing this feat one day, legs shaking, a familiar Bible verse popped into my head:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”

(Hebrews 12:2 BSN)

And I asked myself: Do I fix my eyes on Jesus with the same intensity?

 I do not.

Why do I have trouble keeping my eyes on the author and perfecter of my faith? Could it be because of the thousand thoughts I allow to crowd my head? My worries. My plans. My coulda, shoulda, wouldas.

Maybe I don’t feel the same sense of urgency with Jesus as I do when in full view of others in a yoga class, so when I falter a bit, I quickly give up.

I left class that day determined to practice spiritual balance and physical balance.

Practicing Spiritual Balance

The phrase “fixing our eyes” describes the act of focusing one’s attention or gaze on a particular object or person, implying a deliberate turning away from distractions. Thus, I must filter my thoughts to create space for Jesus.

Such intent focus requires work and action. Wishing for it is not going to make it happen. In a biblical sense, this fixation is often in a spiritual or moral context—a detail that reminds me God deserves more of my concentration than Tree Pose does.

I’ve learned I can keep Jesus in sight no matter what I’m doing. I believe He goes with me throughout each day, so why not acknowledge His presence, thank Him for joining me, rather than calling on Him only when I need help?

I can visualize Jesus beside me in the car, walking a trail with me, or sitting at the table. When I stand in Tree Pose, I can thank Him for legs strong enough to carry me, for the community of an exercise class, and for His unwavering love. As I fix my eyes on the floor and slowly lift one leg, I can visualize His outstretched hand, inviting me to share a few burdens and surrender my counterproductive thoughts.

Just as I sometimes falter in Tree Pose, I sometimes take my eyes off Jesus. But the more I practice, the more natural spiritual balance becomes.

I welcome your comments.

Test Your Balance with These Exercises