To live life well, we have to have wholeness of personality; we have to be single-minded people who are not at war with ourselves (let alone other people.) Jesus reminded us that we cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24) and James tells us that where doubt digs its roots into us, the result is double-mindedness which means we can’t expect to receive from God. (James 1:5-7) If we allow worry and doubt to win the battle of the mind, then we are divided, for both these things distract us from whole-heartedly trusting God.
I read recently that the word ‘integrity’ comes from the Latin word ‘integer’ which means ‘whole.’ A little lightbulb lit up in my mind – a dim memory of (loathed) maths lessons, where I learned that an integer is a whole number (not a fraction.) Somehow, I had never connected the two before. Integrity – wholeness – is essential to good spiritual, emotional and physical health. We need honesty and consistency in our character; we have to act according to the values, beliefs and principles we claim to hold. Whenever we don’t, we create inner tension and division (double-mindedness) which causes us to vacillate, hesitate and ultimately to disintegrate (whose etymological roots mean to do the opposite of bringing parts together in wholeness…)
Distraction, anxiety, doubt and despair will rob us of confidence in God, peace and gladness. Phil 4:6-7 reminds us ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.‘ We need God’s peace to be that guardian which protects us from double-mindedness and allows us to pursue God with all our hearts. The Message version of these verses says ‘Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.‘ God’s wholeness and unity ultimately become the bedrock on which our wholeness can stand.