What does it mean to be whole and healed? To the best of my knowledge, I think the concept can be summarized in one word: “Full.” The Greek word for “full” – perissos, “has a mathematical meaning and generally denotes a surplus.” This is the kind of life God intended for us: A surplus of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control. This “full life” is a cup overflowing, a good measure, pressed down, running over. Spurgeon called the “Full Life” – “a matter of degrees.” He said, “Some have life, but it flickers like a dying candle, and is indistinct as the fire in the smoking flax; others are full of life, and are bright and vehement.”

Those who have it, know the secret to it. Allow me to share a few secrets:

1. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To pursue purpose. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” ‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬. First and foremost the secret to a whole and healed life is a life that finds or discovers its purpose in God through Christ Jesus. That discovery leads one into the riches, most satisfying life one can ask for. But this can also mean finding a calling, something that drives you, a project that is other centered, and pursuing it with passion. 

2. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To embrace contentment. “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬. This contentment is based upon the fact that God is able to supply all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

3. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To Confess sins to others and seek prayers from others. James‬ ‭5:16-18‬ ‭MSG‬‬. Somebody once said that “confession is good for the soul, but bad for reputation.” To that I say, which would you rather have, a reputation for something or someone you are not or a whole and healed soul, which leads to a great reputation? I chose a whole and healed soul. 

4. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To pursue and understand truth. John 8.32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you whole and healed.” There is bondage in half truths. There is deception in flattery. And the world’s philosophy is a high-sounding empty nonsense. But truth, it’s wisdom from above. It is pure, peace loving, gentle at all times, willing to yield to others. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

5. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To give and receive love. “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. The only thing I know of, that is capable of covering a multitude of sin is love. It is the most powerful force in the universe. Love that is patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, not rude, not demanding, not irritable, keeps no record of being wronged, does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices with the truth, never gives up, never loses faith, always hopeful, endures through every circumstance, last forever – is a love that heals and makes whole when received and given away. 

6. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To change the question from “why me” to “what now.” “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. People are often good at asking the wrong questions when they’re in a crisis. But whole and healed people want to know one thing – what can I do to fix it? They have, what Donald Miller calls, “a redemptive perspective on life’s challenges. They have the ability to turn challenges into creative assets.

7. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To serve others. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬. There is just something extremely huge about using your life to serve other. We know it is a big deal, when we look keenly at the life of Jesus. Serving others is exactly what he’d want us to do, because of what it can do in us. 

8. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To give and receive forgiveness. “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. This is a stress bursting, heart soothing, pain relieving practice. Buy all your wrinkle cream, and do all the plastic surgeries you want, it doesn’t measure up to the power of giving and receiving forgiveness. This is one of the best ways to add years to your life. It’s very hard to master, but when you do, you’ll never want to go back to your old life of bitterness. 

9. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To laugh. “A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:22‬ ‭MSG‬‬. A sense of humor is the best medicine money can buy. Finding a little humor in everything isn’t difficult. You don’t have to pay a lot of money for it either. Just pay attention to the little things, everyday.

10. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To embrace worthiness. “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalms‬ ‭139:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. You are worthy of love. If you don’t believe me, believe Jesus. He thought you were worth dying for, so He sacrificed His life for you. You are beautiful, intelligent, special. If you still don’t believe me, read His book, he talks a lot about it. 

11. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To be honest in their evaluation of self. “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬. If you are truly honest with yourself, you will admit that you are as broken as the rest of us. People who try to project a false or perfect image of themselves, miss out on the beauty that exudes out of brokenness. Let go of who others think you should be and be yourself. 

12. Whole and healed people make it a common practice: To live optimistically. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬. I understand that some people are more wired to be like this. If you were to ask me to describe myself in one word, I’d say, optimistic. I win no matter what! That is something you can practice.

I hope you found something in this post today that brought you closer to a Whole and Healed Life. Please leave a comment about a common practice that makes you feel whole and healed.