Made Whole

Hey you. There’s something I want you to know.

You are a masterpiece.

A beautiful and incredibly special masterpiece.

You are not framed by wooden pieces, nor do you hang on a wall to simply look pretty. And you don’t cost hundreds of dollars.

You are framed by the very hands of God, and you bring beauty to this world just by living in it. You’re priceless.

You are a living, breathing, walking, talking work of Heavenly art.

Because God created you- in His image.

And being made in God’s image is nothing short of beautiful. As a matter of fact, it’s the epitome of beautiful. And you’re it.

This is what it looks like to be made whole in the image of God. 

But what does it look like to live whole?

“Fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

-2 Corinthians 4:17-18

First of all, we must live with an awareness of the kingdom of God. Do not live as if the world you live in now is the only word that surrounds you. Live with an understanding that the kingdom of God surrounds you and there are greater things to come! The kingdom is here, and one day it will be here in its fullness. You are a part of His kingdom, and kingdom living is the way in which we are called to live. It’s exactly what this world needs to not only see, but also taste, so dish it to them- freely and endlessly. “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”  -Psalm 34:8

Secondly, in order to live whole, we must acknowledge the Spirit within and allow it to guide us. We must welcome God into our hearts just as effortlessly as He loves and forgives us daily. You belong to Christ and because of this, Christ lives in you. As Paul tells the Galatians, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature,” (Galatians 5:16). We all know what sin looks like. We’ve all faced it and partaken in much more than we would even like to admit. With that being said, know that the Spirit of God within you is stronger than any earthly temptation that you will ever face. Fight your temptations with the Spirit as your sword and shield. Listen to your heart when you find yourself in another battle. Don’t back down to Satan. Instead, make him back down from you. Show Satan that you are made whole in the image of God and no one, not even his sinful lure can take you away from that.

And finally, in order to live whole, we must live our lives in relationship with God. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control,” (Galatians 5:22). We must show love. We must shout joy. We must provide peace. We must show kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God gives us the gift of community because we were not created to ever be alone. The fruits of the Spirit are the embodiment of this gift. Community does not entail picking and choosing which acts of service you would like to do. Community looks like serving someone the second you see that they need help in whatever shape or fashion that you can.

Here’s an idea: Don’t turn your head from the homeless person you pass on the streets everyday on your drive to work. Even if you don’t have money to spare, say a prayer over that homeless person as you drive by the place of which you see them in passing. Ask that God will allow he or she to flourish in the riches of His love and then be guided by His Spirit to a place of opportunity. I’ve met many homeless people on prayer walks around my city and let me tell you, I’ve seen tremendously broken hearts that desperately scream for hope. Some of these stories are indeed heartbreaking, but many of them have somehow retained a deep faith. Get a group of people to do a prayer walk around your community and get to know stories of the homeless that surround you. I promise your perspective on life will take on a whole new meaning.  

Step out of your comfort zone. We are not called to live comfortably.

Reach out to your community. Show love. Do love. Be love.

“He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.”

–Proverbs 28:27

“Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

-Philippians 2:4

Above all, it is my prayer that you live with Jesus Christ as the focal point of your existence. He is the reason you have a heartbeat, and He should be exactly who your heart beats for.

Always.  

Every second, of every moment, of every day.

Always.

Be made whole.

“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” -Ephesians 4:14-21 (NLT)

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Author: Emily Townsend

Emily Townsend is a 20 year old southern girl who has a heart for loving Jesus, loving others, and serving the world. She is currently pursuing a career in ministry as she continues to fall madly in love with Jesus by the day. Emily is also obsessed with books, coffee, koalas, Pinterest, Pilates, and weddings. Her daily dose of life consists of a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus. You can also find her blogging on her personal blog The Joy of My Joy.