Balance?

My pursuit of God has been shamefully weak and woefully sporadic. There have been many sins and much hypocrisy along the way. In the past 5 years, however, God has done a merciful new thing and called me into a deeper walk with Him. This new thing has caused a natural upheaval in my everyday life, for when you come into closer community with your creator, the things of this world grow strangely dim. The things that once held such brilliance in color have taken on a grayer hue. I am saddened by this, but on closer analysis, I recognize that this change in view is because of a perspective change. I have begun to see that these things are temporary and will one day very soon pass away. So, it seems more and more foolish to give my heart and my allegiance to the temporary.

Recently, I was challenged about my priorities by some dear friends that I love. Some of their analysis was dead on right. But some of their analysis called out my need for greater balance. My pursuit of God has got me tilted and shifted from the way I used to be, think and act. I'm different. They see chasms opening in some of my relationships, even with other professing Christians. The problem is, I DON'T KNOW HOW. I used to compartmentalize my faith, but now it's all-consuming. Everything I think about the past, present and future regarding EVERY aspect of life itself is fueled and given understanding in the light and revelation of God and His Word.

So, the question is - do I need more "balance"? I'm considering Deuteronomy 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

Where is God requiring "balance" here? He wants it all. All of me. All of my mothering. All of my wife-ing. All of my friend-ing. All of my working. All of my volunteering. Everything. How can I and should I even dare to upset that apple cart of His consumption of me? Do I really need more balance? Really?