What is Holistic Faith?
A longing to enjoy a faith without boundaries, in essence practicing a holistic faith lifestyle, is the purpose of this site. It is a place to ask, explore, discuss and repeat! I’m honored to have you in on the conversation!
define holistic
Not surprising for a writer, but I love words. Peeling back the definition of “holistic” provides insight for what this approach entails.
- Philosophically, the term references an understanding of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.
- Medicinally, holistic refers to the treatment of the whole person, taking mental and social factors into account, rather than merely disease symptoms.
We might define holistic faith then as an intentional, intimate inclusion of and connection to God so that our identity is found fully in who he created and purposed us to be.
Holistic faith also incorporates an contemplative mindfulness and appreciation of all he’s created. Now this is easy when looking at a beautiful sunset, but takes great faith in the dark.
Surrendering and living out a faith like this can’t be done in part. It requires acceptance of God in full, found only through surrender in full.
EVERYDAY SACRED
Seeking sacred in the everyday or persisting to be mindful of God’s reflection in all these things he’s created may require a mind shift. The mundane, everyday sort of verbs and nouns aren’t obviously spiritual or life changing. But eat, drink, diaper, launder, commute, laugh out loud, grieve, consider, rest, as well as, stranger on the corner, neighbor, dog, flower, garden soil, and regular old me all exist through God and for God (Colossians 1:16).
A holistic faith lifestyle surrenders all things to God whether or not we deem them spiritual.
Holistic faith accepts that God is all in and longs to meet him there. It takes surrender but in doing so, we see glimpses of him every day, in every way, every place and in every face.
When we invite Jesus Christ into our entire life, not just the pretty parts when we want affirmation and the dark parts when we need rescue, we find innumerable clues pointing back to him as the source of our existence and our key to reconciliation with the Father.
He calls out to each of us without ceasing, making it easy to connect. He comes to us holistically and without reserve because he cannot be contained or sectioned off. Tucked into the gifts of his incomprehensible mystery and sovereignty is an invitation to connect with him, you guessed it, holistically.
Upon acceptance of this invitation we can experience perpetual communion, a spiritual exchange of intimate thoughts, without end. We can do this reverently in church, belly laughing over margaritas, letting a bird song distract us from our task at hand and without pretense in our authentic sadness.
Until we’re face to face with God, we won’t fully understand him that holds our hand, absorbs our guilt and lends us divine power. Surrendering fully and seeking him in all we encounter, however, will let us live a life transformed.
Learn more about HFL author, Rachel Mayew