Today's five minute challenge from Lisa Jo over at the Gypsy Mama, is to set our timer and write for five minutes on the word "Whole." We are to publish it as is - so no editing!
Here is my take on the word "Whole"
Go...
Perfection is a word that to me holds a connotation, or rather a feeling, of an unattainable list of expectations that I am to strive towards, and when I miss that mark, if I fail to complete anything on this list, then I have failed to be perfect.
There's a verse in scripture that has always scared me. It is the verse where Jesus tells us to be perfect, as He is perfect - Where He tells me I must conquer an unattainable, and sometimes unknowable list of things that I must do or say or think or feel to be perfect. And that I am required, commanded even to do this. And that verse has always causeds me to feel fear, intimidation, and to feel doomed to complete, utter, failure.
But perfect, in the sense of unattainable, is not the true connotation of that word. The word is really a calling to be complete, as He is complete - to be whole.
To be whole in my mind, in my body, in my spirit, in my emotions, in my love, in my actions, in my soul...to be whole means to be complete. To be complete means to live in health and fullness of life!
Jesus does not call us to an unattainable set of regulations and rules, but to wholeness, to completeness, to health! What a loving thing to desire for me...
This verse no longer scares me, but frees me! Jesus wants me to be whole! I love that about my God, don't you?
Stop...
9 comments:
Funny how we equate whole, complete with perfect. Probably also how we think that God working things out for good will make the picture pretty or our life easy. Happy for the reminder from you that we need to dig deep and hear Truth.
Love this post!
Hi Susan - I love that too. I never thought about it like that. How freeing to know Jesus wants us to whole in body, mind, and spirit as apposed to being 'perfect' in law.
Excellent 5 min post
God bless
Tracy
I love thinking of being whole as being healthy. Usually I think of it as empty verses full...but I like the idea of being healthy better than being full. Thanks for a new way of seeing it!
So true..If I feel like I failed at one point in my day..I throw out the baby with the bath water..metaphorically.
But God knows our shortcomings and failings, yet his blood covers them and then His Spirit offers us the help to get through them. He fills the "holes" in me and makes me "whole" in Him.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I am a now a follower. :)
I'm a recovering perfectionist! I've been going through a devotional that has helped me to realize the truths you have written about. And you're right...it's SO freeing to understand what the Lord REALLY expects from us. And it's not "perfection" at all!
Here's a link to the book I'm working through found on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Its-Wonderful-Imperfect-Life-Encouragement/dp/0830748016/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312603025&sr=1-1
This is a great post...for God doesn't call us to be perfect because only He is perfect. Finding our completeness in him is all he desires of us and relieves us of the pressure to be more.
Hi Susan,
I stopped by to visit your blog this morning, and I am so glad I did! :)
What a wonderful post on the word whole; authentic followers of God admit and recognize that they have weaknesses and are willing to depend on God and allow Him to turn weaknesses into strengths and make us whole!
Your newest follower, :)
Denise
Whole not perfect. It IS freeing. Especially when we don't have to make ourselves whole -- Christ does it for us.
I hope your Sunday is full of joy,
Pamela
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