photo by CarbonNYC
I stand in the cereal aisle at my grocery store. Box after box stares back at me. Each one promises benefits: whole grain, low fat, full of vitamins. By the time I put one in my cart, my head is spinning.
Later as I look at my schedule and feel the same way. So many good opportunities each with their own benefits: new friends, growing a skill, learning more. By the time I close my calendar, my heart is spinning too.
We live in a world of choices and so many of them are wonderful. But we simply can’t do it all. And there’s a price to pay when we try: we end up living half-hearted lives.
After a particularly busy season, a cold knocked me out for a few days. I had time to do some thinking as well as praying. And it seemed I heard little challenge inside: “Girl {yes, sometimes the Spirit has a southern accent in my head} it’s time for you to live whole-hearted.”
Now of course I didn’t hear an audible voice {and if I had I do realize the southern accent would be gone}. But I did feel led to look at what Scripture said about living wholehearted and how that applies to my busyness.
Two verses really stuck out to me out of the many that applied:
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Mark 5:37
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. Col. 3:23
When I read those, I realized a lot of the time I did live half-hearted. In other words, I would say “yes” on the outside when my heart wasn’t in it. I imagine you’ve experienced the same.
So what do we do? I believe that when we have a decision to make we can ask ourselves these three things…
1) Can I say a wholehearted “yes” to this?
2) If not, can I say a wholehearted “no” instead?
3) If not, how can I change my “yes” or “no” to a wholehearted one?
For example, someone might ask you to go to lunch. You love the person but know that accepting would impact your other commitments. Part of your heart says “yes” and the other part says “no.” You realize that next week is a lot less crazy in your world and that you could say a wholehearted “yes” if the date could change. So you propose an alternate time.
Or maybe someone wants you to be involved in a service opportunity that doesn’t fit your strengths. That triggers an idea of an area where you would actually like to serve more. So you say a wholehearted “no” to the first opportunity and pursue the other one instead without guilt.
Last week your “do what you can” step for your God-sized dream was to figure out what you needed less of in your life so that you could embrace more of what God has for you {including your dream}. If there are areas of your life where you’re half-hearted, then that’s the perfect place to start looking for what you can decrease. Say a wholehearted “no” so you can say a wholehearted “yes” to your God-sized dream. I’m looking forward to hearing what you choose when you link up tomorrow or share in the comments!
You’ll know when you’re living wholehearted because you’ll experience more joy, energy and enthusiasm about what you’re doing. We’re told our hearts “are the wellspring of life.” In other words, they’re the source of everything in our lives.
And when your heart can pour out freely there’s no stopping God’s plans for you! And that’s a benefit no cereal or circumstance can beat.
