“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:12,13
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
A Divided Heart
I’ve been camping on and reflecting over this word lately—“Wholehearted”. When using this word (which we rarely think of) as a biblical lens, it’s amazing to see how much scripture is rampant with the concept. Paul often uses athletics as a metaphor for the Christian life and it’s easy to see why. Think of someone training for the Olympics—they are ALL in. There’s no way to get to that level than to give your all (your whole heart) to the grueling training schedule daily (see the above scripture from Corinthians). Also, the familiar excerpt from the Beatitudes is not so much about being “virginal” (Matthew 5:8) but blessed are those whose “whole heart” is after God for they shall see Him.
On the other hand, camping on the word “wholehearted” mostly shines a light on how divided my heart really is most days. And there are many terrible consequences which go with it. Living out of divided heart, one foot in the Jesus camp and the other in my selfish own, is exactly what scripture calls being “double-minded”. The ambivalence of wanting two mutually exclusive things (Jesus and my own sense of control) can be as crazy making as it sounds. I remain fragmented, hidden and will run to my idols and coping mechanisms which always leave me self-protected and steeped in shame. Thank God, Jesus comes to the rescue.
Wholehearted Living
So, what are some components of Wholehearted Living?
“Wholehearted living is about engaging with our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion and connection to wake up in the morning and think, ‘No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough.’ It’s going to bed at night thinking, ‘Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging.” Brene Brown
Needing God–Embracing the Flaws
“Blessed are poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:3
After a lifetime of feeling steeped in shame, this bit of scripture was a mixed bag of news. Most of my time was spent escaping the embarrassing labels that were slapped on me growing up. I wanted to present myself as a person who was far more clever and put together than how I actually felt internally. I had put up a wall of self-protection and perfectionism around myself.
Now Jesus was asking me to face my spiritual bankruptcy before Him. After a life of unhealthy self-reliance, it’s taken a long and continuing road of repentance to live knowing I desperately need God. But also, what a relief it’s been to constantly throw off the false mask and work to embrace those flaws. All I have to offer Him is my whole heart—and a sad and broken one at that. It’s all He’s ever wanted. Those who desperately need Him cast themselves fully on His grace—and this is our ticket to inheriting the Kingdom.
Following Jesus into Vulnerability
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Who being in very nature God…made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:5-8
Vulnerability—who wants it? All it seemingly did for me was open myself up to the pain of ridicule, rejection and neglect. No wonder high walls of self-protection were put in place. But God has designed us for intimacy and connection. Walls of protection to keep out the bad, also keep out what we deeply desire. Without opening up (authentic flaws and all) I will never truly be known or accepted. I will never really experience the connection and deep intimacy for which my heart truly longs.
Jesus encourages us to follow Him into vulnerability. Loving and praying for enemies, being the servant of all, letting our weakness be our greatest strength. He continually turns our worldly wisdom on its head.
God’s Glory through Our Stories
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death…” Revelation 12:11
I remember the startling day when I felt like the Lord wanted me to share my story for the first time in a public setting. “But, this is not a story I’m necessarily proud of,” I thought. I would rather not share all these embarrassing and humiliating points of my life with a crowd. Now looking back after having shared various pieces of my story thousands of times, I can see what God has been doing.
Standing in the forgiveness of Christ, we can share openly about where God has met us in our pain—for He never leaves us there. We have authentic stories of healing that glorify God. It is how we overcome Satan’s hold on the world. God redeems our ashes for something beautiful.
A Lifelong Journey
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-39
What does it look like to love God as in the above scripture from Matthew? How can we love our neighbors and ourselves wholeheartedly? Pursuing God wholeheartedly isn’t a onetime choice. Every morning it’s a worthy pursuit of each day which in turn becomes a lifelong journey.
We can embrace living a “wholehearted” approach to life, as Brene’s quote above. Feeling we are brave and that we are enough and belong. But this confidence isn’t some magic-thinking, self-willed mantra. It’s rooted in the reality that we are worthy of love, because God cherishes us and we are his beloved.
Scott Kingry
Program Director
A staff member since June of 1992, Scott is a key player in the WGA discipleship ministry. He plans, organizes, and implements every aspect of the Thursday night support group. In addition to public speaking, counseling group participants and training leaders, Scott maintains personal contact with many group members and it is to Scott’s credit that many group members feel personally welcomed, cared for and loved.
Although he holds a degree in graphic arts, he attributes his ministry qualifications to the “school of hard knocks.” God’s abundant grace continues to be the instrument of growth in his life, and he desires to be firmly grounded in the forgiveness and freedom of relationship with Jesus Christ.
Scott attends a Presbyterian Church.
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