Which part of a “balanced diet” is the hardest for you to keep balanced?

Let's talk about falling.
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(And welcome, by the way! It’s great that you’re here!)

See what this Spotlight—and series— is focused on.
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Begin with this simple, ancient prayer for God's guidance and steadfastness.

Life lived in faith can feel like a constant balancing act, pulling us from one side to the other. Some days, faith requires pushing firmly in one direction; other days, we must adjust our balance toward the opposite side.

The opening and closing sections of the book of James demonstrate this balancing act clearly by mirroring each other in several ways. Read the two sections below carefully and identify at least three ways these passages balance or complement each other. Once you've done this, look through the examples below.

James 1:2-8
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

James 5:13-20
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Pray for God's help in finding spiritual, mental, and physical balance.
In this song, the songwriter Cameron Schroeder wisely asks, "Why?".

Why is it hard for people to keep their balance? The simple answer is "sin"—but the effects of sin are powerful and numerous. The brokenness of the world, caused by sin, has made it so that the foundations of life shift beneath your feet, your own soul and mind and body can be imbalanced, and those around you are no better, often throwing you off balance.

Pray along with this song for help. You (like every person) need help.

We're going to take some time in this section to allow you to personally reflect on your own spiritual, mental/emotional, and physical balance. Before we do, let's explore together the responsibilities we have toward one another as a community in these areas.

Think through these questions carefully. Words like accountability, encouragement, openness, confidentiality, and boundaries might help. Aim for honesty, clarity, and practical insight as you discuss this together.

Consider this question:

Within a church or group like yours, what do we owe one another when it comes to supporting each other's spiritual, mental/emotional, and physical well-being?

• What is the minimum level of care or involvement we should expect from each other?

• At what point does involvement or accountability become too much or unhealthy?

Make a plan for improving your balance with the help of God and those who love you. Take some time on this using the three simple forms below. (If you'd like some music while you do it, here's some…)

1. Spiritual Balance Form


2. Mental Balance Form


3. Physical Balance Form

We've spent some time in this series talking about the imbalance of addiction. While this Serve section is going to go a different direction, permit one additional thought:

If you're carrying the weight of addiction, I want you to know you're not alone. Your struggle matters deeply to God—and it matters deeply to me. If you feel comfortable reaching out, I'd be honored to listen, support, and pray with you confidentially, without judgment.

Remember the invitation Jesus gives us in Matthew 11:28:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

I'm here to walk alongside you toward that rest. You can talk to me anytime.

Sincerely,
Kent
kent@illume.church 

Exchange Your Plans
Take 2–3 minutes each and share what you noted as you thought about your Spiritual, Mental/Emotional, and Physical Balance Plans.

Reflect and Clarify
Feel free to ask any questions you may have about your partner's plan. Focus on understanding their intentions, hopes, or concerns clearly. (Examples: “What specifically would you like me to pray for?” “Is there an area where you feel uncertain or particularly vulnerable?”)

Pray for One Another
Spend 2–3 minutes each in prayer for your partner, out loud.
Follow this structure:

• Begin with gratitude: Thank God for your partner, mentioning specific strengths or intentions you heard in their plan.
• Ask for support: Pray specifically for the spiritual, emotional, and physical goals they shared, naming at least one thing from each category.
• Request encouragement: Ask God to provide your partner with motivation, clarity, and peace as they pursue their balance plan.
• Close with blessing: Finish your prayer with a simple blessing or request for God’s guidance and care over your partner.

Brief Encouragement
After praying, take a moment (30 seconds each) to offer one encouraging thought or affirmation to your partner, based on their plan.

Example Prayer (Feel free to follow this if it helps):

“Lord, thank you for [Partner’s Name] and their desire to find balance spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Thank you for the intentional way they're seeking you and caring for themselves. Please bless their spiritual goals, especially [mention one spiritual goal]. Encourage their emotional growth as they work on [mention one emotional goal], and support their physical wellbeing, especially with [mention one physical goal]. Give them strength, peace, and joy as they follow through on these plans. Guide them each step, reminding them they are never alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Feel free to submit a prayer request by filling out the below form.
(If you choose to make your request public, you'll see it display in the Current at the end of the Spotlight along with anyone else who did the same.)

Pray through your requests—together—as a group.
After submitting your requests in the above form, take some time to share with your group whatever requests the group might have for this week.

Read this benediction to one another.

God go before you to lead you,
God go behind you to protect you,
God go beneath you to support you,
God go beside you to befriend you.
Do not be afraid.
May the blessing of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be upon you.
Do not be afraid.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen.

Let's wrap things up by taking a look at what's Current at Illume.
Tap on the buttons in the frame below to see what’s currently happening at Illume—information on everything from current and upcoming online content to live events and opportunities to serve in the community can all be found here.