Hear Joni answer a complex question from a listener about being whole in your mind and spirit.
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SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Well, welcome to another edition of Sharing Hope where Joni is happy to answer questions that you’ve submitted. And this question was posted on social media. This person writes, “Joni, God is asking a lot for you to be whole in your mind and spirit when you’re not whole in your body. But it’s all connected. How do you do it?”
JONI: Oh boy, now this is a fascinating question. And this person is correct: my body is anything but whole! It’s broken; most of it doesn’t work and I can’t feel my arms or legs. So, without a healthy and completely whole body, is God asking too much that I strive to be whole in my spirit and in my mind? I don’t think He’s asking too much at all. Just listen to 1 Thessalonians 5:23. It says, “May God Himself… sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now, from that, I see that God Himself is working to make whole my spirit, my soul, and my body. Nothing about me is left untouched by God. My inner life, my emotions, my will and intellect, and my physical body are all destined for redemption. And to the point of today’s question, the more broken my body is, the more I have to cast myself on the Lord, and that conforms my soul and my spirit to be like Jesus. So, my broken body is actually helping to sanctify my soul and my spirit. True, my body [as paralyzed as it is] has a lot of catching up to do, but I’ve got the promise of 1 Corinthians 15 that one day my body will be completely whole, new and glorified! So, I don’t think God is asking a lot of me. God wants every part of me: my spirit, soul, and my body to be whole at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I’m excited just talking about that glorious day!
SHAUNA: Oh Joni and let me add; God never asks too much of us. In fact, it’s impossible for God to ask too much of us because 1 Corinthians 6 says that we are not our own.
JONI: That’s right.
SHAUNA: We were bought at a price [a big price]. And therefore, we’re to honor God with our bodies, right Joni?
JONI: Absolutely, Shauna. And thanks for citing that verse. I think that fact alone would put to rest all of our questions as to whether or not God is fair in a seemingly unfair situation. I have to tell myself all the time: “Joni, you’re not your own.” You’ve been purchased – body, soul, and spirit by the blood of Jesus Christ. And as you said, Shauna, that is an infinitely big price.
SHAUNA: It sure is.
JONI: So, we honor God, especially with our bodies, no matter how broken they are. And the quicker we learn that the quicker we will experience the sanctifying, purifying work of God in our lives. And that is our goal, isn’t it?
SHAUNA: Yeah.
JONI: I want us all to put off the old self which belongs to the way we used to live and instead, let’s put on the new self. Put on patience, perseverance, kindness and compassion, all of it – virtues given by God. That’s from Ephesians 4, and every day I need to do that in my broken body.
SHAUNA: That’s right! Put off the old and put on the new. Oh Joni, thank you for those great reflections. And if any of our listeners want to hear this again, you just have to visit joniradio.org. The full transcript of today’s special edition is available right there for you. Again, that’s joniradio.org. And thanks for listening!
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