Dear Writer, I hope you had a beautiful week and considered how to ditch some distractions in your life! This week, we’re taking a step back to look at the goal of all we’ve learned about partnering with God’s grace. That goal is simply this: to live a fully integrated life.
You see, partnering with God’s grace is about embracing every God-given opportunity with an open heart to seek His wisdom for what He wants to do next. It’s also about gaining freedom to move forward in faith, fully aware of our limitations, yet fully reliant on Him.
At heart, partnering with God’s grace is about drawing on His strength to accomplish all He’s designed us to do. As we do, we realize that nothing is impossible with Him. But before we dive in, let’s look at some others whose wholehearted engagement with God transformed their lives and work….
The Integrated Life in History
George Washington Carver is a stunning example of a man who lived a fully integrated life. A scientist in the Deep South, Carver knew the peanut crop would restore farmland depleted by over a century of cotton farming. The problem? The peanut was an unprofitable crop. Unable to convince farmers to grow the useless crop, Carver asked God why He created the peanut.Â
God told Carver to break the peanut into its basic components and recombine them. As a result, Carver discovered 300 uses for the peanut within ten days! Whenever Carver entered his laboratory, he locked the door, insisting that hearing God clearly was the only way he could work out these new inventions. As a result, the economy of the South was completely revived, and a whole new industry was born.
You see, writer, partnering with God’s grace is learning to live a life dependent on God’s unfolding revelation and wisdom. It’s about having a heart to seek Him and apply oneself to what He reveals.
The Integrated Life in the BibleÂ
Another beautiful example of fully integrated living was when Mary went to Jesus at the wedding of Cana. Mary knew the young newlyweds had run out of wine. But, instead of running to fix the problem, she turned to Jesus. And here’s the interesting thing…Â
Though Jesus seemed, at first, to give a cool reply, Mary went to the servants and prepared them to respond to whatever Jesus might ask. As a result, Jesus’ request to fill the ceremonial washing jars with water was immediately obeyed, and the transformation of water to wine His very first expression of God’s power and goodness.
You see, writer, Mary not only turned to Jesus in expectant faith to solve what no one else could, she also did all she could to prepare herself and the others for Jesus to act. At heart, partnering with God’s grace is a dedicated seeking that spurs wholehearted action and allows God to transform our work to something far beyond our imagining.
The Integrated Life in Life
I lived a fully integrated life when I taught news writing in Uganda for a semester. As I flew to Africa, I asked God what these students particularly needed to become successful writers. In response, God gave me six underlying principles that would help my students master the writing skills I would teach. They were principles of punctuality, proactive and clear communication, creative problem solving, prioritizing people, and being ambassadors of hope.
From day one, I introduced these six life principles. Then throughout the teaching, God showed me how to help the students put them into practice again and again. By graduation, those who completed the course were those who had taken the principles to heart. Not only did these concepts spur them to graduation, they infused the students with wisdom for success in every area of life.
The Integrated Life in Your Life
You see, writer, God is always interested in doing something new. And often, in doing something bigger than we could ever conceive. Accomplishing His goals in our limited strength is beyond impossible. But all it takes to unleash His great works, is to embrace this integrated life of full dependence and full investment in what He’s revealed to you. Let me prove it to you…
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5-6
- Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:12-14
- Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. – Matthew 7:7-8
- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:8-10
-  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. – James 1:5-8
You see, writer, we were created anew in Christ to do good works God prepared in advance. And the amazing thing? These are the same works Jesus Himself did—and greater ones! However, we can only accomplish these works by living as He did, in total dependence on the Father. As we partner with His grace, we realize we indeed live and move and have our being in Him and that we can do all things through Christ.
Where to Start with an Integrated Life
So are you ready to lean into the fully-integrated life God has for you? Here are some things to get you started…
- Ask, Seek, Knock. The first step in living a fully integrated life is, like Carver, to begin seeking God in every area of life. Get in the habit of asking for His wisdom every time you begin to write. When you face new opportunities, set aside time to seek His wisdom. Because here’s the thing. God will bring us to many open doors in our lives, but only as we lean into Him can we make the most of those opportunities.
- Step Out in Faith. Once God gives wisdom, it’s important we step out in faith on what He’s shown us. We might not know everything about the path ahead, but there will always be one small step you can take. You see, the integrated life is really a life of acting out what we receive in prayer. This, in fact, is the secret to all of life.
- Bring Your Best. As you begin to act, bring your best! Just as the servant’s at Cana filled the ceremonial jars to the brim, when we bring our best to God, it multiplies the impact of all that He can do with it. After all, a jar half-full of water would only have become half-full of wine.
- Stay in Community. As we begin to live an integrated life, it’s critical we remain integrated in the Body of Christ and the friendships and relationships God has for us at the time. Because here’s the thing…
If you’ll notice, God’s work in our lives is almost always outward facing. Even the healing He works within equips us to more clearly shine His glory to others.Â
At heart, that’s what partnering with the grace of God is all about. It’s about becoming an available vessel through which He can pour His glory. That glory may look like 300 uses for the peanut to rescue a whole people group from poverty. That glory might look like wine that rescues a family from a lifetime of shame. That glory might look like principles that cause His Spirit to blossom in others.
Whatever shape His glory takes, it always creates an impact far beyond all we could ask for and imagine as it spreads through lives and relationships in the way only God can. And it’s always an act of rescue. The wonderful thing? He created each of us to be that vessel as we willingly surrender our path and plans to Him.
So I encourage you today, if you’ve wondered how to move forward on your writing journey, to pause and consider two things. First, where might you need to begin seeking God’s wisdom in your life? Then, how can you step out in wholehearted faith in what He’s shown? The adventure of a lifetime awaits. An adventure that can unleash His glory in all we do.
#integrated #ask #trust #obey #glory #EveryWriterWriting
Want to Learn More?
If you enjoyed this blog post be sure to look for our FREE “Grace for the Writer’s Journey” video sessions, including Laurel’s Grace for Identity – Unearthing Treasures in Ourselves through Community and the accompanying small group workbook for purchase on Amazon!
