keep your balance

I hear that a lot. "keep your balance", meaning - keep your life balanced. I've tried hard over the last six months or so to do that. Keep everything neatly balanced - my work, ministry, spiritual life, relationships, etc. It's been hard and I haven't felt well or been very happy. Over the last week or so I've been doing some reading and some praying, and I think I've figured out why things have felt so hard. One the one hand, I want to make a difference. I want to be a powerful force in God's army, prevailing against the gates of Hell. On the other hand.. I'm trying to build some kind of normal life.
The simple truth is that I'm having a difficult time find examples of people who made a significant difference *and* had a balanced life. Most were so caught up in God's vision for their lives that there was little or no "balance" at all. And I don't think that's a bad thing.
We don't have much time here. There are billions of people on this earth, most of whom don't know what it means to really know God and live victorious lives. I'm reminded of the verse in Hebrews about casting off "the sin that so easily entangles".. or something like that, and "running the race". I'm not saying that wanting a balanced life is a sin. Not at all. But I do think it entangles. At least for me personally. I start worrying about sleep, and "getting filled", "getting fed", or "getting rejuvenated". Having my "personal time". And yes, it's necessary, but shouldn't be my focal point.
So as of today I'm "casting off" the need for a balanced life. If I work too much, or spend too much time in ministry, or too much time with students and the people at church who are working to build a solid student ministry, then so be it. I spend too much time. If I spend too much time locked away writing my book, then I do. But when all is said and done, I trust God to take those efforts, measly as they are, and multiply them, making them into something great. I want to run the race and crawl across the finish line, having spent every last ounce of my unbalanced life.
And away I go...