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Honestly, most Christians hear the word ‘holistic’ and they begin to run in the opposite direction.  We envision people doing yoga and Ohmmmmming and we quickly add on a mental image relating to a “new age” lifestyle.  I was one of those people.  Wow, I have come a long way from being so quick to jump into one idea (at least I hope I have).

Being holistic has nothing to do with yoga, ohmming, new age, or voodoo.  I assure you.  It has everything to do with realizing that God made you as a whole being.  Remember that verse about loving the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)?  Everything that God has given us should work together interdependently to love Him.

Merriam-Webster defines holistic as “relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts.”  The example offered by the dictionary is “holistic medicine attempts to treat both the mind and the body.  When describing our walk with Christ, holistic means looking at our life and body as a complete system rather than pulling our life and body into parts.

Let me ask you a question.  Do you find that we as Christians tend to dissect ourselves when we seek to love God?

  • Have you ever spent tons of time using your mind to read the Scripture, then forgot to involve your soul and heart?
  • Have you ever used your strength to serve Christ, but forgot to pray to find out if your chosen service was God’s will?
  • Have you ever worshiped God with your heart and completely left out worshiping Him with your strength because you were too timid to move?
  • Have you ever given God your soul, but then didn’t follow through giving Him your heart, your mind, and your strength?

I doubt I’m alone here.  I’ve done all of these things.  I give God what seems convenient at the time and compartmentalized my Christianity.  I’m not sure about you, but I want to learn how to holistically love Jesus.  How can we be free to holistically love Jesus?

Come alive dear one!

“I slept, but my heart was awake.
A sound! My beloved is knocking.
“Open to me, my sister, my love,
my dove, my perfect one,” Song of Solomon 5:2.

Do you know what is most beautiful about holistically loving Jesus?  We cannot do it ourselves.  Only by God’s grace, love, and Spirit can we completely love Him.

If you do not yet know Christ personally, the first step is simply accepting God’s free gift of salvation.  You must believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection and that his sacrifice paid for your sins.  You must accept that atonement, that payment, on your behalf and you ARE saved.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 ESV

BELIEVE

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” – Ephesians 2:8-9

by GRACE and by FAITH

“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” – Romans 10:9-10

CONFESS and BELIEVE

We cannot do anything besides confess and believe to receive God’s free gift.  We don’t give anything to gain salvation.  While some people do surrender their lives at the moment they accept salvation, surrender often happens after salvation.  As we grow in love to our savior, the Holy Spirit gently points out areas of our life that we didn’t know we hadn’t given to God.  We give our life to God because we love Him.  We follow his commands because we love Him.  We do not give our life to God to gain salvation.  We do not follow his commands to gain salvation.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – 1 John 4:10

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” – 1 John 5:3-4

Do you want to holistically love God?  Completely love Him and others with the love that He has given you.  Stop trying to achieve salvation!  You HAVE God’s love.  You have the Holy Spirit.  Walk in it.  You do not have to follow a checklist.  You do not have to worry about others opinions.  You do not have to be concerned about failure.  You cannot fail in loving God.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” – Matthew 6:33

Seek God and love Him with all of your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength with God’s own love.  Amazing, isn’t it?

 

Written by:

Brooke aka THE Boholistic Mom

 

Do you have any questions, comments, or discussions?  Please comment below.

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