Living wholeheartedly can be described in a variety of ways. Most often, I describe it as: discovering and celebrating the woman God created you to be, and/or loving God, yourself and others with all your heart (Matthew 22:37 & 39). Expanding our definition could mean the following: Doing things for others, doing things for yourself, and doing things at which you are gifted and talented. Let’s look a little closer at each of these.
Doing things for others requires taking your focus off yourself; looking outward to determine what resources you can use to bless others, to love others (Romans 13:8). That could include such things as mowing your friend’s yard, cooking a meal for someone in need or providing encouragement to someone who is struggling.
Doing things for yourself means more than it may seem. It includes taking care of yourself – mentally, physically and spiritually. It means nurturing the relationship you have with yourself. That could include things like forgiving yourself for a mistake, scheduling time to rest or doing something fun on your own or with a friend. The possibilities are endless. The hardest of these, however, may be to say “no” to others so you can say “yes” to yourself.
Doing things at which you are gifted and talented is also a requirement for living wholeheartedly. Everyone has a unique “gift mix” – a combination of natural abilities, acquired skills and life experiences. Your natural abilities might include teaching, organizing or encouraging. Acquired skills could involve making a delicious cup of cocoa, painting furniture or speaking a second language. Life experiences, when combined with your natural abilities and acquired skills, create a perfect combination for doing things that are rewarding and energizing. In addition, when using your gift mix to do things for others, you’ll be doubly blessed.
This month I invite you to focus on one of these three areas. If you’re not sure where to start, I’d suggest “doing things for yourself.” Since your relationship with yourself is the foundation for all other relationships, this is a great place to give some attention.
