Integrity Defined

May 15th, 2007

blakeydisneyland-033.jpgWe spent Sunday and Monday at the “happiest place on earth”–Disneyland! Tyler has been to Disneyland already, in fact, this was his fifth visit! His favorite attractions are It’s a Small World, the Jungle Cruise and the Winnie the Pooh ride. Bobby, Tyler and I along with Bobby’s brothers Ben and Billy and Billy’s wife, Cory gathered to celebrate my mother-in-law’s 50th birthday, and Mother’s Day. Usually on someone’s birthday you give them a gift, but they gave us season passes to Disneyland, so it sure felt like a celebration we will enjoy all year! Click here to see more pictures!

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of spiritual apathy. It is an easy pit to fall into–to become lazy and undisciplined in pursuit of the Lord. I was feeling discouraged about seeing this in others, and also myself. It’s frustrating to be talking to someone who is well-informed on all the specifics about the latest Lost episode, but when I mention our daily Bible reading I get an “I actually don’t have time to do that.” Seriously? How is it that we don’t have time for God? I am convinced that this has much more to do with our hearts than our schedules.

In a study I was working on today I looked up the word “integrity” and was profoundly struck by the it’s definition.

in·teg·ri·ty

the quality or state of being complete or undivided

When I read this definition I was convicted. It is all too easy to have an appearance of godliness–to talk like a Christian, to warm a chair, to carry a Bible. It is very hard work to have a quality of heart that is complete and undivided toward the Lord. The opposite of spiritual apathy is spiritual integrity.

Spiritual integrity means that hearing God’s Word and doing God’s Word are inseparable. This kind of person is worshiping the Lord all hours on weekdays, not just the first 20-minutes of the church service. It means not succumbing to the idols that reign in most lives but living surrendered to the Lord. Having integrity spiritually means that we pray “Your will be done” and aren’t thinking in the back of our minds “But I hope what I want to happen works out…”

I started asking the Lord how could I grow to have this kind of integrity in my life and tonight I remembered Psalm 86:11 and this is my prayer, I hope it is yours too…

Teach me your way, O LORD,
and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.

4 Comments

  1. Rabbit
    May 16th, 2007

    The concept of integrity has been heavy on my heart lately. Are we the same before others as we are before the Lord? Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the Psalm.

  2. Lisa writes...
    May 16th, 2007

    Hi Christa,
    Returning the visit to thank you for commenting on my site. Your words on spiritual integrity are right on. I pray that verse from Psalms often for myself, as well as for my kids. Great post!

    Blessings,
    Lisa

  3. Elle
    May 16th, 2007

    There is always to be a pushing forward, a pressing on in a Christian’s life. To grasp that He did not die to merely save us in pieces but He saves us in full. Why it’s all the more reason to pray for an undivided heart, wholly His!

    Well-written, Christa.

  4. Shawna
    May 18th, 2007

    Exremely powerful words, thoughts and truths. Thank you for sharing what God is revealing to you so that we may grow from it too. You rock! See you tonight, I hope!

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