Philippians 4:11-13

King James Version

¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

How to Use Faith for Wholeness

Hey everyone! Today, I want to talk about how we can use our faith to live a wholistic and balanced life. Sometimes, we think of faith as just believing in something, but it’s much more than that. So much more! Let’s dive in!

Faith Isn’t Magic

Many people think of faith as a “magic tool” that can make everything happen just by “believing”. But faith is not a magic spell. (We aren’t Gargamel here lol), it’s more about turning our beliefs into actual practices to make us experience wholeness and vitality.

Faith as a Tool

Instead of merely thinking of faith as something that can magically change our lives, we should use it as a tool, until our lives change. This means using our faith to help us make better decisions, improve our lives, and stay positive even when things are tough. It’s a tool for inner transformation. An inner state of being-ness. And by “faith” I mean both the beliefs (theological tenets) as well as the practices that are the result of those tenets:

“The Church, through the temple and Divine service, acts upon the entire man, educates him wholly; acts upon his sight, hearing, smelling, feeling, taste, imagination, mind, and will, by the splendour of the icons and of the whole temple, by the ringing of bells, by the singing of the choir, by the fragrance of the incense, the kissing of the Gospel, of the cross and the holy icons, by the prosphoras, the singing, and sweet sound of the readings of the Scriptures.” + St. John of Kronstadt

Be Content

One important lesson from St. Paul is to be content. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to achieve our goals or want more, but we should also be grateful for what we have right now. Being content helps us stay healthy.

Practice Gratefulness

Science shows that being grateful can make us healthier and happier.

• Greatest of the Virtues? Gratitude and the Grateful Personality Robert A. Emmons

• Gratefulness and subjective well-being: Social connectedness and presence of meaning as mediators.

• The Benefits of Gratitude in Spiritual Formation: Collaborative of Gratefulness in a Christian Church Community

• Gratitude in School Benefits to Students and Schools

When we practice gratefulness, we can live longer

Faith in Action

Using faith in our daily lives means applying the lessons we learn from the Bible. I like to call this Conceptual Theology (though that may not be the proper term). For example, if we read that we should be content in all situations, we should try to find gratefulness in whatever situation we are in, even if it’s not perfect.

So I said all that to say….

Faith is a great tool that can help us live wholistic lives. By being content and practicing gratefulness, we can achieve a balanced and joyous life. Remember, faith is not just about believing; it’s about living it every day.

“He who endures distress, will be granted joys; and he who bears with unpleasant things, will not be deprived of the pleasant.” — St. Nilus of Sinai

You need not be despondent. Let those be despondent who do not believe in God. For them sorrow is burdensome, of course, because besides earthly enjoyment they have nothing. But believers must not be despondent, for through sorrows they receive the right of sonship, without which is impossible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. + St. Barsanuphius of Optina, quoted from Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels of the Holy Elders of Optina

Video summary

This video discusses how Christian professionals can use their faith for holistic living. It emphasizes the importance of using faith as a tool for contentment and personal growth rather than merely as a means to achieve specific outcomes.

Highlights:

• 00:02³  Faith in faith

  • Many people have faith in faith itself

  • Faith is often used as a magic amulet

  • Positive thinking and prayers are important but not magical

• 02:00⁴  Using faith as a tool

  • Faith should be used for wholeness and personal growth

  • The Bible should be read for its concepts

  • Apply biblical concepts to life for betterment

• 05:00⁵  Contentment through faith

  • Paul’s teachings on contentment

  • Faith helps in being content in any situation

  • Contentment is a state of being, not just positive affirmations

• 08:00⁶  Practical applications

  • Extract contentment from any circumstance

  • Use faith to find meaning and gratitude

  • Gratefulness has health benefits and promotes vitality

• 11:00⁷  Living in a state of contentment

  • Faith as a practice and state of being

  • Genuine contentment while striving for goals

  • Contentment helps in achieving holistic living and vitality