There is a lot being written these days about wholeness in a fractured world. We may be very healthy in our body by working out daily, but our emotions and relationships are a mess - we're broken. Or we may have all kinds of degrees hanging on our walls and books galore, but don't have a direction for living or a reason for dying - we live in fear.
But it is possible to pull these areas together and complete the picture. Can we pull them all together and complete the picture so we're a not "like a jig-saw puzzle with a couple of pieces gone." (borrowed from Jim Croce's Bad, Bad Leroy Brown)
There’s a short scripture verse that I have found helpful:
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature,
and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
Interestingly this sentence is just about all that is said about Jesus in the years leading up to his public ministry. Still, it says quite a lot. In preparing to live out his purpose, Jesus grew in a healthy way in four key areas:- Wisdom: mentally and emotionally
- Stature: physically
- Favor with God: spiritually
- Favor with man: relationally
- Invest in wisdom. Wisdom is more than just mental agility. It’s really about insight and understanding. Insight into how the world works, how people operate, how situations unfold and in light of those insights, understanding the most appropriate way to live. Wisdom is mental and emotional intelligence applied to the study of life.
- Read and study material that stretches you (biographies are great!)
- Reflect on reoccurring patterns and situations.
- Watch and follow others that I admire
- Acknowledge your strengths and not just your weaknesses
- Take stock of your journey and celebrate how far you've already come.
- Invest in your body. There is no area of my life that has as much immediate impact on all other areas as when I invest in my physical health. When I spend time nourishing my body, my mind is sharp, my emotions stabilize, my spirit is awake, and my relationships improve. However, the opposite happens when I either neglect my physical body or when I punish it by working it too hard.
- Eat whole foods - keep fast foods to once a week, drink water
- Move around a lot - Walk, jog, & turn off the TV
- Go hard occasionally - push yourself to do something extra, feel the energy, experience the fun.
- Join a group for that extra motivation to not give up.
- Imagine, visualize a healthier you.
- Get plenty of sleep, turn off the TV!
- Invest in your spirit. Whatever you believe, the benefits of activities like meditation, prayer, and being still are documented and well-proven. For me, these practices have a restorative effect on my soul and open me up to connect with a deeper sense of purpose for my life. It reminds me I am than what circumstances suggest and that God is on my side.
- Sit in silence - at least 15 min to silence the voices of busyness
- Read scripture and other inspirational material
- Meditate on what I’ve read
- Pray, fast and memorize Scripture
- Invest in your relationships. [Emotional Health] This is an area that, for me, has been underdeveloped over the last couple of years. I invested heavily the church, get approval from others and trying to be accepted by the power that be. Frankly, I did this at the expense of developing meaningful relationships, and I have some regrets about it.
- Ask what matter to people I care about, don't assume.
- Open myself to chance encounters and impromptu opportunities
- Invest deeply in a few key relationships
- Accountability groups are essential
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