11/01/2021
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"Wholeness to Holiness"
I have come to see the Holy Spirit as an orchestra conductor for the various images, thoughts, emotions, and body sensations I have on a particular day. James C. Fenhagen explains how the Spirit can lead us to wholeness and then holiness as we bring these different parts of ourselves to Jesus.
“When I think of wholeness in my own life, I think of a finely tuned orchestra in which each instrument, guided by the conductor, contributes its part toward a magnificent symphony of sound. There are times – in recent years, increasing times – when I have heard this sound that I know that I am in tune with the Spirit of God who moves within me. Sometimes the sound is discordant, even harsh, but it is nonetheless one sound. This is wholeness. It can include themes of joy and themes of pain, but there is still one sound. This is very different from what happens when the instruments that represent the many-faceted aspects of my personality are playing in opposition to each other. When this happens, I experience inner chaos and confusion – the very opposite of wholeness. The answer is not to play louder, not to pretend we do not hear, but rather to take time to listen to the many sounds so that the message they contain can be brought to light. The inner freedom the Gospel promises is experienced when our identity in Christ is honored and trusted and nourished. It is experienced when our inner lives are in tune, not in the sense of having arrived, but rather in the sense of being able to hear and respond to the themes and rhythms that the Spirit offers in calling us out of ourselves. The journey in Christ is a journey shaped by the biblical story of salvation in which is embodied a will to holiness. Wholeness, when open to the Spirit of God, is a seedbed for holiness. When our center has been reformed in Christ, an environment is created that opens us to the promptings of the Kingdom. In biblical terms, like Bartimaeus we begin to see.”
From Invitation to Holiness by James C. Fenhagen
Action steps
- Next time you see an upsetting image, think a thought, feel an emotion, or body sensation, take the opportunity to give it to the Holy Spirit and watch how he uses it in your life to produce the sweet sound of Christlikeness in you.
- In whatever situations you face this week, ask “How can I honor, trust and nourish my identity in Christ?”
