The Wholehearted Woman

More often than not, on any given morning, I can be found sitting at the table in the sunny breakfast nook of my kitchen with a creamy hot mug of coffee, a candle flickering next to a stack of books and devotional items, and a favorite blanket tucked around my legs (yes, even in the summer!) I greatly enjoy these small luxuries. I have tried to substitute tea for that delicious cup of hot Joe, but there is no good replacement for the taste and smell of my morning mug of coffee. Even when I am dressed warmly, I also enjoy a cozy blanket because it makes me feel at-home. And I absolutely refuse to allow any battery-operated “candles” in my home because I so relish the life, cheer, fragrance, and comfort provided by the burning flame of a simple, real candle.

I enjoy experiencing these little personal luxuries on an almost-daily basis because they fill me up; they are part of what make me uniquely me. Of course, they are no substitute for depth of relationships with God and others, but they definitely add pleasure and beauty to my daily life. Some people may relish different personal luxuries such as laying on the beach with a good book, or hiking a remote trail with nothing but the wind, trees, and chirping of birds around them, while others anticipate slipping their feet into a comfy pair of flip-flops when the weather gets warm. These things are not frivolous to these individuals; they are enjoyed and, like my coffee creamer, they can add even a little more delight to the experience of daily life.

Yet for us as women, we also may do, or prioritize, certain things because we feel the need to present ourselves in just the right light. We may lay for agonizing hours on the beach to get tan on vacation even though we may not truly enjoy those hours. Or we might grab a cup of coffee at the church coffee shop each week and carry it into service with us more as a security blanket than because we actually want the steaming liquid inside of that cup. Maybe we decorate our houses in a particular style that we saw at a friend’s home or on a television show only to discover that our motivation was actually based on the desire to keep up with a trend rather than personal preference.

There are so many attractive ads, such a barrage of perfect-looking photos on social media, so many “self-improvement” publications, and even entire television networks devoted to showing the most attractive homes, the most scrumptious foods, and the most stunning personal makeovers. It can be easy to almost unconsciously find ourselves swept up in the pursuit of something that, deep down, is not even of value to us. It is not real to us. Like the battery-operated candles that are (somewhat humorously) not allowed in my home, we can find ourselves appearing to be full of life, light, and purpose on the outside and, yet, filling ourselves with things that are not of lasting value or that leave us feeling empty on the inside.

What are you filling your life with? As women called by God, we are to live with intentionality, to live fully for the Lord, to fill ourselves with things that produce real and true light, love, and delight. No matter what our current seasons of life are, we can be bright, vibrant, alive women of God if we will live this Christian life with single-mindedness, intentionality, and joy. God desires all that we have and all that we are. In Matthew 13:45–46, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven being “like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” God loves beauty. It is not wrong to enjoy the finer things in life. But we must consider that one pearl of great price and give all that we have to it. He does not desire perfection, or striving to present ourselves in a certain light, but He calls us to live sold-out, wholehearted, real lives for Him!

Is your life filled with what is real? Do you feed each day on the Word of God, which “endures forever”? (1 Peter 1:25) Are you striving for perfection, or are you living your life in such a way as to show others that you love who God made you? Is your heart drawn in thankfulness to Him when you enjoy that cup of coffee, or when your heart is stirred by a beautiful sunset, or when you post a picture of a precious moment with a loved one on social media? Is the course of your life one that is consumed by one purpose and one purpose alone: to sincerely and courageously give all that you have for the kingdom of God? To live and grow in loving fellowship with Jesus who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”? To be comforted and led by the Helper, the Holy Spirit of God, knowing that your body is His temple? Choose today – choose each day! – to delight to live for the Lord, to be responsive to Him, and to let your light shine! You cannot get more real than that.