In a world constantly encouraging us to “find balance,” Scripture calls us to something far more radical—total devotion.
We’re told to create boundaries, schedule smarter, and get the ratio right. Work a little. Rest a little. God gets His slice, and everything else gets what’s left. But Deuteronomy 6:4–5—also known as the Shema—blows that mindset apart:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
That’s not balance. That’s complete loyalty. That’s the end of compartmentalization and the beginning of a life where God defines everything else.
We often treat life like a pie chart. A slice for work. A slice for family. A slice for self-care. And, of course, a slice for God. We think we’re doing pretty well if we can just give God the largest slice—or better yet, put Him at the top of our priority list.
But God never asked for a slice.
He doesn’t want to top your to-do list. He wants to define your to-do list. He doesn’t want to be your priority—He wants to be your environment. The air you breathe. The space you move in. The shape that gives form to everything else.
Deuteronomy 6:5 gives us a framework for this all-consuming devotion:
In Hebrew thought, the heart isn’t just where you feel. It’s where you think, decide, and will. To love God with all your heart is to make your internal life—decisions, desires, direction—submit to His lordship.
This is loyalty that thinks before it acts. Loyalty that starts in the will, not just the emotions.
The Hebrew word nephesh doesn’t mean just your spirit—it means your entire being—body, breath, personality, and presence. You love God with all your soul when every moment and movement are offered to Him.
This isn’t a Sunday-morning love—it’s a walking, working, living kind of love.
This is your muchness—your strength, capacity, resources, and influence. Everything you can muster—everything you have charge over—is brought under God’s rule.
It’s not just what you do. It’s what you use, what you steward, and how you move through the world.
Put all that together, and you’re not left with a pie chart or a priority list. You’re left with a radically unbalanced life—a life fully surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.
Balance is attractive because it feels safe, controlled, and manageable. But biblically, it doesn’t hold up.
You’re the one assigning weight. You’re the one drawing the lines. But God doesn’t ask for calculated devotion—He asks for complete surrender.
We often divide life into “spiritual” and “non-spiritual.” But Scripture refuses to draw that line. God calls us to be holy in our work, parenting, habits, and even rest.
The world tells us to follow our hearts and do what makes us happy. Scripture calls us to love the Lord our God with our heart and through our obedience—even when it costs us comfort.
So what do we pursue instead?
Instead of aiming for balance, Scripture invites us to be completely enveloped in God’s love—to live lives shaped by a single, unshakable loyalty.
Think of it this way: Loving God is like being surrounded by Him on every side. There’s no such thing as stepping out for a moment to tend to something else. Everything—family, career, friendships, leisure—is shaped by the reality of His presence.
In other words, God is not one part of your life. He is the place your life is lived.
This doesn’t lead to imbalance—it leads to integration. It forms a cohesive life where everything fits together, not because we’ve managed the pieces perfectly but because the whole thing is built on Him.
Use these to examine your daily rhythms and spiritual direction this week.
God doesn’t call us to balance. He calls us to surrender.
This kind of life may feel disorienting at first. But over time, it produces a peace that balance never could. You’re not juggling anymore. You’re trusting. And that trust turns into joy, freedom, and clarity—because your life isn’t divided. It’s devoted.
Verum Seminary would be honored to support you as you prepare for the meaningful calling God has placed on your life. Our admissions team is here to answer any questions you may have along the way.
