February 4, 2025 • 20 mins
In this episode of What’s God Got to Do With It?, Leanne tackles a struggle so many of us face but rarely say out loud: the nagging belief that we’re incomplete or “missing something.” Whether it’s the perfect body, the perfect relationship, or the perfect version of yourself you think you need to achieve, this myth can leave us stuck in a cycle of striving, hustling, and feeling like we’ll never measure up.
Leanne opens up about her own journey of chasing “enough” and unpacks the powerful truths from God’s Word about wholeness. Through relatable personal stories, client breakthroughs, and practical steps, she shares how we can stop searching for that elusive missing piece and start living from the fullness God has already given us.
- Learn how to recognize and replace the lies of unwholeness with God’s truth.
- Shift your focus from striving and “doing” to resting in the beauty of simply “being.”
- Celebrate who God made you to be and trust His perfect timing and plan for your life.
This episode is an invitation to release the burden of feeling “not enough” and embrace the freedom of knowing you are already whole—just as you are.
HOST: Leanne Ellington // StresslessEating.com // @leanneellington
To learn more about Leanne, head over to www.LeanneEllington.com, and to share your thoughts, questions, feedback, or guest suggestions instantly, head on over to www.WhatsGodGotToDoWithIt.com.
Follow Leanne on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leanneellington/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith meets
fars nature, and get in touch with your creator with
a bacon, love and jew She even speaks Hebrew.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
What's that, Gotzato?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
What's that? As well?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Sabolation?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You should talking transformation? What's that?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Gonzato?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Hey? Hey, and welcome back to what's God got to
do with it? And today we're diving into something that's
been on my heart for a long time and something
that I've wrestled with myself and that I've seen in
the lives of so many of my clients. And it's
this whole topic of wholeness and and this is something
we've talked about here a lot on the God Pod,
but specifically, I want to talk about letting go of
(01:05):
the myth that you are missing something. And I used
to think that if I just said the right words
in the mirror, you know, like you are worthy and
you are enough and you've got this, then eventually I'd
start believing it, or even just saying like I love you, man, right,
and don't get me wrong. Positive affirmations can be helpful
if you know how to work with the laws of
(01:25):
neuroscience and the brain. But let's be real, sometimes they
feel empty, and sometimes, no matter how many times you
repeat them, that little voice in your head still whispers.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
But are you really like?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Do you really love yourself? Are you really worthy?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
And that's where the world gets it wrong, and it
tries to slap a band aid on a wound that
needs real healing, Because wholeness isn't about convincing yourself that
you're enough. It's about knowing that you are, and knowing
that in Christ you already are. And so today we're
going to break this down and we're going to unpack
where that whole I'm missing something myth comes from, and
(02:03):
what God's word has to say about your wholeness and
how neuroscience intersects with faith to help you actually live
from that place of fullness and freedom.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And let me just say this up front.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
This isn't about me standing on a soapbox telling you how.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
To think or feel. It's about us walking this out
together because I still need to remind myself of all
of these truths daily. So grab your coffee, your tea,
settle in, and let's dive into this heart to heart
about worthiness. So first, let's talk about where does the.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I'm missing something myth come from.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
And let's be real.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, you know, once I
fill in the blank, then I'll feel worthy or happy
or whole or enough, or.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I'll prove it to them.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
And I mean for me, this started for me very young.
I bought into the belief that if I could just
look a certain way, or achieve enough or fit into
a you know, a mold, then I'd finally feel complete.
And for years I chaste that idea. I sacrifice my
health to chase that idea. And my clients are constantly
telling me the same thing. They're saying things like, leanne,
(03:07):
I always feel like I'm behind, like I'm this close to,
you know, figuring it out, but no matter what I do,
it's never enough. And even when I do get there,
I still feel empty. And so maybe you can relate,
whether it's the scale, the job, the relationship, you know,
even your walk with God, that feeling can keep us
stuck in a cycle of striving and shame. And so
(03:29):
here's the truth that lie that you're missing something is
one of the enemy's favorite tools. Okay, John ten ten
says it says, the thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy, and I have come that they may
have life and have it to the full. And so
the enemy knows that if he can convince you that
(03:49):
you're incomplete, he can steal your joy and kill your confidence,
and destroy your sense of identity. But Jesus came to
give you life in abundance, not life where you're constantly
chasing the next thing to feel whole. So let's take
a look at what God says about wholeness, and let's
look at a few key scriptures that really anchor this truth.
(04:12):
And so the first one tells us that you're made
complete in Christ, and so Colossians two ten says, in
Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the
head over every power and authority. So let's unpack this
because I feel like the word fullness is the key here.
And it's not partial, it's not halfway.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It's full.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And what's even more powerful is that this fullness isn't something.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That we achieve on our own.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It is given to us through Christ.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And so think about it.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
We live in a world that is constantly telling us
that we need more, more success, more beauty, more achievements. Heck,
the world's telling us you just need more time, right,
and that's what we feel like, we need to feel
like we've arrived. But God flips that script entirely, and
he says, you don't have to add anything to yourself
(05:03):
because I've already made you whole again, Like you do
not have to add anything to yourself because I've already
made you whole. And this means that when those thoughts
creep in, you know, the ones that tell you that
you're lacking are incomplete, you can speak this truth over yourself,
like I am complete in Christ. God says so, and
even I like, for me personally, I kind of get
(05:24):
sassy with the enemy and I'm like, Okay, not today, Satan.
I am not buying into your lie that I am
not complete. And here's what I tell my clients. It's
not about becoming whole someday or you know, when you
get to some imaginary milestone that lets be on is
just keeps moving. It's about living out the wholeness that
you already have. And when you start to believe that,
(05:47):
it changes how you show up in every area of
your life. Now, the Bible also tells us that you
are God's masterpiece, where Ephesians two ten says for we
are God's hind work created in Christ Jesus to do
good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
(06:08):
And so let's pause on the word handiwork right like.
And by the way, some translations use the word masterpiece,
and that's exactly what it means. You are a unique,
intentional creation of God. And when I think of a masterpiece,
I think of something that's already complete and the artist doesn't,
you know, add finishing touches every few weeks. It is done,
(06:31):
it is perfect, it is beautiful just as it is,
and that's how God sees you. So what does this
mean practically, Well, it means that you don't have to
compare yourself to somebody else's journey or gifts or life,
because God's plan for you is uniquely yours, and His
craftsmanship is in your life and it is intentional, like
(06:51):
He is not messing around with you, and everything is intentional.
And so I love sharing this with my clients who
feel like they're not enough compared to others. And I
just remind them, like, God didn't create you to go be.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Like her or her or her.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
On social media. He created you to be you, right,
and you are his masterpiece. And that's where it's about,
you know, And this is a deeper conversation than this
episode today. It's about being okay with who you are
and rewiring your identity and self image so that you
are created to be like you and you're proud of
the you that you are, and so that you're not
(07:23):
even wanting to be like anyone else. The Bible also
tells us that we are fully known and fully loved.
So Psalm one thirty nine one through four says, you
have searched me, Lord, and you know me before a
word is on my tongue. You Lord know it completely.
And so let that sink in. God knows everything about you,
(07:45):
your thoughts, your struggles, your doubts, and he doesn't love
you in spite of those things. He loves you through
them and because of them. Right, And so often you know,
we're hiding parts of ourselves because we're afraid that they
make us unlovable. But God sees it all and his
love for.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
You is unchanging.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
It is steady.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And so here's what I often hear from my clients,
Like they'll they'll say things like, leanne, if people really
knew the real me, you know, the real me, they
wouldn't love me. People knew that I used chocolate addictively,
or that I feel so out of control of food
in my body, like they just they would think I
was crazy and they wouldn't love me.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
And I totally.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Get that, and honestly, I felt like that for so
many years. But Psalm one thirty nine reminds us that
God knows every detail of our hearts and his love
is constant every detail.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Notice it says, like not just the pretty parts wrapped
in a.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Bow, but all of who you are.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
And this truth is so freeing because it means that
you don't have to strive for love or approval. You
are already fully known and fully loved by the creator
of the universe.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And now I get it.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That is so much easier said than done, right, But
that is the journey that I invite you to go on,
is to feel like you can be loved for all
of who you are. And to be honest, I really
feel like God was a perfect I hate to say
it this way. But it was like a perfect practice
place for me because I was like, wait, if I
can practice trying on this story that I am loved
(09:11):
like all of me, even the things that I'm so
ashamed of, I can then bring that with me into
my relationships. And I really believe that God was the
perfect place for me to kind of carve out that
almost like a skill set. Right now, I want to
talk about how faith and neuroscience intersect, because here's where
it gets even more amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Now I want to.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Talk about how faith and neuroscience intersect because here's where
it gets even more amazing.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
The truth of God's word isn't just spiritual.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's also reflected in how our brains work.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And so the brain is wired to believe, or your brain,
I should say, is wired to believe what you tell
it most often. Right, So, if you're constantly feeding it
the lie that you're not enough, or that there's something
wrong with you, or that you're broken, that becomes the
default belief system that your brain operates from.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
But here's the good news and really the best part.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
You can rewire your brain to align with God's truth, right,
and it obviously goes far beyond the scope of this episode. Again,
but like for example, when you meditate on scripture like
Colossians two ten or Ephesians two ten, you're not just
reading words, You're literally creating new neural pathways and over time,
as long as things resonate because they have to have.
(10:33):
Positive neuro associations come alongside when something resonates, and negative
neuro associations come alongside when something doesn't resonate, and your
brain won't learn it, so you've got to make sure
that it resonates. But over time, this rewiring, like through scripture,
helps shift your thoughts from I'm missing something to I
am whole in Christ or I am whole and worthy
because God says I am, and I don't have to
(10:54):
earn it and I don't have to go become it.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
I just am right.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
It's science and faith working together, and that that's the
beauty of how God designed us. Our spiritual growth and
our mental emotional health are deeply connected. So how do
we take this from a nice idea to something that
we live out daily? And again I want to just
the disclaimer is is that this one episode is not
going to change your relationship with wholeness or worthiness. But
(11:18):
I want to just share some practical steps. So the
first step is to recognize the lies.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Right.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And so if you want to embrace this wholeness or
this worthiness thing, it's a thing.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It's not a thing, but it's a thing, right.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
You've got to get really real about the lies that
you've been believing, right, And so lies like you know,
I'll be happy when I lose the weight, or I'm
not as accomplished as her, so I must be failing,
or you know, if I could just fix this one thing,
then I'd be happy whole fill in the blank. And
these thoughts might feel true in the moment, but they're
not aligned with God's truth. And so here's the neuroscience
(11:53):
behind this. Your brain loves shortcuts. I bet you do too,
But your brain loves shortcuts, I love shortcuts, right, And
so the brain clings to the thoughts that you think
most often and turns them into automatic beliefs, making them shortcuts.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
So, if you've spent years.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Believing the lie that you're incomplete, your brain will keep
running that script unless you intentionally.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Replace it with truth.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Okay, And so what if you just started writing down
the lies that you've been believing about yourself, and then
find a scripture that counters each lie and write it
next to it right. And so every time that lie
pops up, you can now speak scripture out loud to
counter that lie.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Right.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Again, not an overnight thing, easier said than done. But
again the Bible also tells us to do this when
it says we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ. It says this in Second Corinthians ten
to five. The next step is shifting from doing to being,
And so so much of the whole I'm missing something
(12:53):
myth and it really becomes an identity comes from a
culture of doing right. And so we believe that if
we just do enough, achieve enough, serve even like serving right,
serve too much, serve enough right, even over performing in
our faith, we will finally feel whole. But God doesn't
ask us to strive. He invites us to rest in Him.
(13:14):
And so I've talked about this quite a bit on
the podcast. But if you know practically, like what if
you started a being with God practice.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Just a few minutes a day.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It could be as simple as sitting quietly for five
minutes each morning and just asking God to remind you
of who you are in him, and it could be
journaling and asking him to reveal his truth about you.
And the point of it is like, it's not about
doing anything, It's about being still and letting him fill
you with his truth.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
And if five minutes seems Dante start.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
With two minutes, you know what I'm saying, Like, it's
just about spending that time being, not doing, and and
science backs this up too. Stillness helps quiet your amigdala,
which is the part of your brain responsible for fear
and stress and fight and fight and being in that
sympathetic branch of your nervous system. And you know, you know,
stillness also activates your prefrontal cortex, which is how basically
(14:04):
you need access to your prefrontal cortex if you want
to be present and focus on peace. In other words,
you know, being still isn't just spiritual, it's also physiological.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
And of course the.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Bible tells us to do this too when it says
be still and know that I Am God from Psalm
forty six to ten. Step three is just to celebrate
who you are right now. And this is the easiest
part to skip over, but it is the most game
changing thing to do, because gratitude and self acceptance are
powerful tools for breaking the cycle of striving. And instead
(14:36):
of focusing on what you think you're lacking or who
you're not doing, or who you're not being, when you
can just create awareness and celebrate who you are being
and how God has already worked in your life and
what you do have and what you're grateful for, that's.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
When everything changes.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
And it could literally be as simple as just writing
down three things that you're proud of yourself about or
that you're grateful in advance that God's doing. It could
be a prayer, right, like thank you in advance for
me making me who I'm turning into so that I
can be ready to receive all that you have for me. Right,
So not looking at it like God's a genie in
a bottle. It's like thank you in advance for the
lottery winning. No, it's it's like thank you in advance
(15:11):
for you know, peace in my heart as I'm navigating
these weird circumstances, or thank you in advance for you know,
just clarity as I go into this next conversation with
my friend that I want to have, right, and so
writing down things that you're proud of that you're grateful for.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
It could be past, present.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Future, but it could be you know, personality, traits that
you love about yourself, your strengths, even the way that
you show up for others. Right, and by the way,
if this feels hard, your brain probably needs it more.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
But ask a trusted.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Friend to help you identify these things, or ask God
to reveal it, and he will. But science backs this
up too, because gratitude literally rewires your brain to focus
on abundance and what you do have rather than scarcity
and what you don't have. And so when you practice it,
your brain also releases dopamine, that feel good chemical, which
(15:57):
reinforces positive thinking. And so instead of being chasing dopamine
with our you know, our smartphones or with sugar.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
What if we chase it with gratitude?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Right, And the Bible says, I praise you because I'm
fearfully and wonderfully made from Psalm one point thirty nine
to fourteen. Step four is to just trust God's timing
and plan and again, so much easier said than done. Right,
Sometimes it's like, Okay, God, your timing is annoying me.
I love you, but I want it now right, and
(16:26):
so often we feel incomplete because we're also comparing our
timeline to somebody else's. But God's plan for you is unique,
and his timing is always perfect, even though it doesn't
feel like it, and even though you want your timing
and you know, the next time you catch yourself comparing
your journey to somebody else's, I just invite you to
pause and pray and ask God to help you trust
(16:49):
his timing and find contentment and where He has you
right now right. It's like if you're waiting for a house,
for example, it's like, what if you were grateful for
the house that you have right now right. If you're
looking for a job, it's like, be grateful for the
job that you have now right. If you want to,
you know, find a partner, it's like what if you
were grateful for the time that you got to spend
(17:09):
on your own right now right or the time with
your friends right now. So it's like really honing in
on what are we missing out on right now because
we're assuming that we are everything's going to be better
when it happens, and then cour of course, we're trying
to rush the process and then feeling almost for me,
I was like resentful at God's timing, versus like, no,
ask God to help you trust his timing and find
(17:31):
contentment in.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Where He has you right now.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And the Bible even tells us in probably one of
the most famous verses, for I know the plans I
have for you, declares the Lord plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future from Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven. It's
it's like on every hobby lobby poster in the kitchens
all over all over the world, right, But it's so challenging,
(17:54):
I know. But like God says for I know the
plans I have for you, he doesn't say, like, hey,
why don't you take back.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Control and steer the wheel? Do you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So obviously now, worthiness is a big topic, and that's
why I kind of try to approach it from different
angles on this podcast. And it's so hard to wrap
up in a big shiny bow. But here's the truth.
You are not missing anything. You are already whole because
of who you are in God. And that's why it's
so important to identify the lies we've been believing and
(18:24):
replace them with God's truth and lean into gratitude and
trust and to rest in the beautiful, freeing reality that
we don't have to strive for wholeness. It is already
ours right now. We just have to be in the
posture of receiving. And so thank you so much for
spending this time with me today. And as always, if
this episode resonated with you, just you know, feel free
(18:45):
to pass it on to somebody who might need to
hear this or that reminder that they are already enough.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And that nothing is missing.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Okay, that is it for this week, and I'll be
back with more of the God Pod next week.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Bye. We'll be back with more What's God Got to
Do with It?
Speaker 3 (19:02):
But in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear
from you, so just tell me where you are in
your story or maybe what questions you have, like where
do you feel you need clarity or support or wisdom
in your own journey. I definitely want to hear from you,
So head on over to What's God Got to Do
with It dot com and scroll down to the form
(19:22):
to share your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you
can do that instantly, So What's God Got to Do
With It?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Dot com you'll find all the ways to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And if you like this podcast and want to hear more,
go ahead and follow, like, and subscribe wherever you listen
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Speaker 2 (19:47):
Sure to rate and review to show your support. It
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Speaker 3 (19:52):
What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio
podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast Network. It's written and
hosted by me Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post
production and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written
Speaker 4 (20:07):
By Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
If you want to go on a journey. If you're skeptical,
don't worry. Now here to preach. I'm gonna keep it
clean and talk to me and recall where faith meets
fars nature, and get in touch with your creator with
a bacon, love and jew She even speaks Hebrew.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
What's that, Gotzato?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
What's that? As well?
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Sabolation?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
You should talking transformation? What's that?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Gonzato?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Hey? Hey, and welcome back to what's God got to
do with it? And today we're diving into something that's
been on my heart for a long time and something
that I've wrestled with myself and that I've seen in
the lives of so many of my clients. And it's
this whole topic of wholeness and and this is something
we've talked about here a lot on the God Pod,
but specifically, I want to talk about letting go of
(01:05):
the myth that you are missing something. And I used
to think that if I just said the right words
in the mirror, you know, like you are worthy and
you are enough and you've got this, then eventually I'd
start believing it, or even just saying like I love you, man, right,
and don't get me wrong. Positive affirmations can be helpful
if you know how to work with the laws of
(01:25):
neuroscience and the brain. But let's be real, sometimes they
feel empty, and sometimes, no matter how many times you
repeat them, that little voice in your head still whispers.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
But are you really like?
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Do you really love yourself? Are you really worthy?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
And that's where the world gets it wrong, and it
tries to slap a band aid on a wound that
needs real healing, Because wholeness isn't about convincing yourself that
you're enough. It's about knowing that you are, and knowing
that in Christ you already are. And so today we're
going to break this down and we're going to unpack
where that whole I'm missing something myth comes from, and
(02:03):
what God's word has to say about your wholeness and
how neuroscience intersects with faith to help you actually live
from that place of fullness and freedom.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
And let me just say this up front.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
This isn't about me standing on a soapbox telling you how.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
To think or feel. It's about us walking this out
together because I still need to remind myself of all
of these truths daily. So grab your coffee, your tea,
settle in, and let's dive into this heart to heart
about worthiness. So first, let's talk about where does the.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
I'm missing something myth come from.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
And let's be real.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, you know, once I
fill in the blank, then I'll feel worthy or happy
or whole or enough, or.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I'll prove it to them.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
And I mean for me, this started for me very young.
I bought into the belief that if I could just
look a certain way, or achieve enough or fit into
a you know, a mold, then I'd finally feel complete.
And for years I chaste that idea. I sacrifice my
health to chase that idea. And my clients are constantly
telling me the same thing. They're saying things like, leanne,
(03:07):
I always feel like I'm behind, like I'm this close to,
you know, figuring it out, but no matter what I do,
it's never enough. And even when I do get there,
I still feel empty. And so maybe you can relate,
whether it's the scale, the job, the relationship, you know,
even your walk with God, that feeling can keep us
stuck in a cycle of striving and shame. And so
(03:29):
here's the truth that lie that you're missing something is
one of the enemy's favorite tools. Okay, John ten ten
says it says, the thief comes only to steal and
kill and destroy, and I have come that they may
have life and have it to the full. And so
the enemy knows that if he can convince you that
(03:49):
you're incomplete, he can steal your joy and kill your confidence,
and destroy your sense of identity. But Jesus came to
give you life in abundance, not life where you're constantly
chasing the next thing to feel whole. So let's take
a look at what God says about wholeness, and let's
look at a few key scriptures that really anchor this truth.
(04:12):
And so the first one tells us that you're made
complete in Christ, and so Colossians two ten says, in
Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the
head over every power and authority. So let's unpack this
because I feel like the word fullness is the key here.
And it's not partial, it's not halfway.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
It's full.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And what's even more powerful is that this fullness isn't something.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
That we achieve on our own.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
It is given to us through Christ.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And so think about it.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
We live in a world that is constantly telling us
that we need more, more success, more beauty, more achievements. Heck,
the world's telling us you just need more time, right,
and that's what we feel like, we need to feel
like we've arrived. But God flips that script entirely, and
he says, you don't have to add anything to yourself
(05:03):
because I've already made you whole again, Like you do
not have to add anything to yourself because I've already
made you whole. And this means that when those thoughts
creep in, you know, the ones that tell you that
you're lacking are incomplete, you can speak this truth over yourself,
like I am complete in Christ. God says so, and
even I like, for me personally, I kind of get
(05:24):
sassy with the enemy and I'm like, Okay, not today, Satan.
I am not buying into your lie that I am
not complete. And here's what I tell my clients. It's
not about becoming whole someday or you know, when you
get to some imaginary milestone that lets be on is
just keeps moving. It's about living out the wholeness that
you already have. And when you start to believe that,
(05:47):
it changes how you show up in every area of
your life. Now, the Bible also tells us that you
are God's masterpiece, where Ephesians two ten says for we
are God's hind work created in Christ Jesus to do
good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
(06:08):
And so let's pause on the word handiwork right like.
And by the way, some translations use the word masterpiece,
and that's exactly what it means. You are a unique,
intentional creation of God. And when I think of a masterpiece,
I think of something that's already complete and the artist doesn't,
you know, add finishing touches every few weeks. It is done,
(06:31):
it is perfect, it is beautiful just as it is,
and that's how God sees you. So what does this
mean practically, Well, it means that you don't have to
compare yourself to somebody else's journey or gifts or life,
because God's plan for you is uniquely yours, and His
craftsmanship is in your life and it is intentional, like
(06:51):
He is not messing around with you, and everything is intentional.
And so I love sharing this with my clients who
feel like they're not enough compared to others. And I
just remind them, like, God didn't create you to go be.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Like her or her or her.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
On social media. He created you to be you, right,
and you are his masterpiece. And that's where it's about,
you know, And this is a deeper conversation than this
episode today. It's about being okay with who you are
and rewiring your identity and self image so that you
are created to be like you and you're proud of
the you that you are, and so that you're not
(07:23):
even wanting to be like anyone else. The Bible also
tells us that we are fully known and fully loved.
So Psalm one thirty nine one through four says, you
have searched me, Lord, and you know me before a
word is on my tongue. You Lord know it completely.
And so let that sink in. God knows everything about you,
(07:45):
your thoughts, your struggles, your doubts, and he doesn't love
you in spite of those things. He loves you through
them and because of them. Right, And so often you know,
we're hiding parts of ourselves because we're afraid that they
make us unlovable. But God sees it all and his
love for.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
You is unchanging.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
It is steady.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And so here's what I often hear from my clients,
Like they'll they'll say things like, leanne, if people really
knew the real me, you know, the real me, they
wouldn't love me. People knew that I used chocolate addictively,
or that I feel so out of control of food
in my body, like they just they would think I
was crazy and they wouldn't love me.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
And I totally.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Get that, and honestly, I felt like that for so
many years. But Psalm one thirty nine reminds us that
God knows every detail of our hearts and his love
is constant every detail.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Notice it says, like not just the pretty parts wrapped
in a.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Bow, but all of who you are.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
And this truth is so freeing because it means that
you don't have to strive for love or approval. You
are already fully known and fully loved by the creator
of the universe.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
And now I get it.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
That is so much easier said than done, right, But
that is the journey that I invite you to go on,
is to feel like you can be loved for all
of who you are. And to be honest, I really
feel like God was a perfect I hate to say
it this way. But it was like a perfect practice
place for me because I was like, wait, if I
can practice trying on this story that I am loved
(09:11):
like all of me, even the things that I'm so
ashamed of, I can then bring that with me into
my relationships. And I really believe that God was the
perfect place for me to kind of carve out that
almost like a skill set. Right now, I want to
talk about how faith and neuroscience intersect, because here's where
it gets even more amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Now I want to.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Talk about how faith and neuroscience intersect because here's where
it gets even more amazing.
Speaker 4 (09:44):
The truth of God's word isn't just spiritual.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
It's also reflected in how our brains work.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And so the brain is wired to believe, or your brain,
I should say, is wired to believe what you tell
it most often. Right, So, if you're constantly feeding it
the lie that you're not enough, or that there's something
wrong with you, or that you're broken, that becomes the
default belief system that your brain operates from.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
But here's the good news and really the best part.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
You can rewire your brain to align with God's truth, right,
and it obviously goes far beyond the scope of this episode. Again,
but like for example, when you meditate on scripture like
Colossians two ten or Ephesians two ten, you're not just
reading words, You're literally creating new neural pathways and over time,
as long as things resonate because they have to have.
(10:33):
Positive neuro associations come alongside when something resonates, and negative
neuro associations come alongside when something doesn't resonate, and your
brain won't learn it, so you've got to make sure
that it resonates. But over time, this rewiring, like through scripture,
helps shift your thoughts from I'm missing something to I
am whole in Christ or I am whole and worthy
because God says I am, and I don't have to
(10:54):
earn it and I don't have to go become it.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
I just am right.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
It's science and faith working together, and that that's the
beauty of how God designed us. Our spiritual growth and
our mental emotional health are deeply connected. So how do
we take this from a nice idea to something that
we live out daily? And again I want to just
the disclaimer is is that this one episode is not
going to change your relationship with wholeness or worthiness. But
(11:18):
I want to just share some practical steps. So the
first step is to recognize the lies.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Right.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
And so if you want to embrace this wholeness or
this worthiness thing, it's a thing.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It's not a thing, but it's a thing, right.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
You've got to get really real about the lies that
you've been believing, right, And so lies like you know,
I'll be happy when I lose the weight, or I'm
not as accomplished as her, so I must be failing,
or you know, if I could just fix this one thing,
then I'd be happy whole fill in the blank. And
these thoughts might feel true in the moment, but they're
not aligned with God's truth. And so here's the neuroscience
(11:53):
behind this. Your brain loves shortcuts. I bet you do too,
But your brain loves shortcuts, I love shortcuts, right, And
so the brain clings to the thoughts that you think
most often and turns them into automatic beliefs, making them shortcuts.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
So, if you've spent years.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Believing the lie that you're incomplete, your brain will keep
running that script unless you intentionally.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Replace it with truth.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Okay, And so what if you just started writing down
the lies that you've been believing about yourself, and then
find a scripture that counters each lie and write it
next to it right. And so every time that lie
pops up, you can now speak scripture out loud to
counter that lie.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Right.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Again, not an overnight thing, easier said than done. But
again the Bible also tells us to do this when
it says we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ. It says this in Second Corinthians ten
to five. The next step is shifting from doing to being,
And so so much of the whole I'm missing something
(12:53):
myth and it really becomes an identity comes from a
culture of doing right. And so we believe that if
we just do enough, achieve enough, serve even like serving right,
serve too much, serve enough right, even over performing in
our faith, we will finally feel whole. But God doesn't
ask us to strive. He invites us to rest in Him.
(13:14):
And so I've talked about this quite a bit on
the podcast. But if you know practically, like what if
you started a being with God practice.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Just a few minutes a day.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It could be as simple as sitting quietly for five
minutes each morning and just asking God to remind you
of who you are in him, and it could be
journaling and asking him to reveal his truth about you.
And the point of it is like, it's not about
doing anything, It's about being still and letting him fill
you with his truth.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
And if five minutes seems Dante start.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
With two minutes, you know what I'm saying, Like, it's
just about spending that time being, not doing, and and
science backs this up too. Stillness helps quiet your amigdala,
which is the part of your brain responsible for fear
and stress and fight and fight and being in that
sympathetic branch of your nervous system. And you know, you know,
stillness also activates your prefrontal cortex, which is how basically
(14:04):
you need access to your prefrontal cortex if you want
to be present and focus on peace. In other words,
you know, being still isn't just spiritual, it's also physiological.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
And of course the.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Bible tells us to do this too when it says
be still and know that I Am God from Psalm
forty six to ten. Step three is just to celebrate
who you are right now. And this is the easiest
part to skip over, but it is the most game
changing thing to do, because gratitude and self acceptance are
powerful tools for breaking the cycle of striving. And instead
(14:36):
of focusing on what you think you're lacking or who
you're not doing, or who you're not being, when you
can just create awareness and celebrate who you are being
and how God has already worked in your life and
what you do have and what you're grateful for, that's.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
When everything changes.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
And it could literally be as simple as just writing
down three things that you're proud of yourself about or
that you're grateful in advance that God's doing. It could
be a prayer, right, like thank you in advance for
me making me who I'm turning into so that I
can be ready to receive all that you have for me. Right,
So not looking at it like God's a genie in
a bottle. It's like thank you in advance for the
lottery winning. No, it's it's like thank you in advance
(15:11):
for you know, peace in my heart as I'm navigating
these weird circumstances, or thank you in advance for you know,
just clarity as I go into this next conversation with
my friend that I want to have, right, and so
writing down things that you're proud of that you're grateful for.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
It could be past, present.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Future, but it could be you know, personality, traits that
you love about yourself, your strengths, even the way that
you show up for others. Right, and by the way,
if this feels hard, your brain probably needs it more.
Speaker 4 (15:35):
But ask a trusted.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Friend to help you identify these things, or ask God
to reveal it, and he will. But science backs this
up too, because gratitude literally rewires your brain to focus
on abundance and what you do have rather than scarcity
and what you don't have. And so when you practice it,
your brain also releases dopamine, that feel good chemical, which
(15:57):
reinforces positive thinking. And so instead of being chasing dopamine
with our you know, our smartphones or with sugar.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
What if we chase it with gratitude?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Right, And the Bible says, I praise you because I'm
fearfully and wonderfully made from Psalm one point thirty nine
to fourteen. Step four is to just trust God's timing
and plan and again, so much easier said than done. Right,
Sometimes it's like, Okay, God, your timing is annoying me.
I love you, but I want it now right, and
(16:26):
so often we feel incomplete because we're also comparing our
timeline to somebody else's. But God's plan for you is unique,
and his timing is always perfect, even though it doesn't
feel like it, and even though you want your timing
and you know, the next time you catch yourself comparing
your journey to somebody else's, I just invite you to
pause and pray and ask God to help you trust
(16:49):
his timing and find contentment and where He has you
right now right. It's like if you're waiting for a house,
for example, it's like, what if you were grateful for
the house that you have right now right. If you're
looking for a job, it's like, be grateful for the
job that you have now right. If you want to,
you know, find a partner, it's like what if you
were grateful for the time that you got to spend
(17:09):
on your own right now right or the time with
your friends right now. So it's like really honing in
on what are we missing out on right now because
we're assuming that we are everything's going to be better
when it happens, and then cour of course, we're trying
to rush the process and then feeling almost for me,
I was like resentful at God's timing, versus like, no,
ask God to help you trust his timing and find
(17:31):
contentment in.
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Where He has you right now.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And the Bible even tells us in probably one of
the most famous verses, for I know the plans I
have for you, declares the Lord plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future from Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven. It's
it's like on every hobby lobby poster in the kitchens
all over all over the world, right, But it's so challenging,
(17:54):
I know. But like God says for I know the
plans I have for you, he doesn't say, like, hey,
why don't you take back.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Control and steer the wheel? Do you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 3 (18:02):
So obviously now, worthiness is a big topic, and that's
why I kind of try to approach it from different
angles on this podcast. And it's so hard to wrap
up in a big shiny bow. But here's the truth.
You are not missing anything. You are already whole because
of who you are in God. And that's why it's
so important to identify the lies we've been believing and
(18:24):
replace them with God's truth and lean into gratitude and
trust and to rest in the beautiful, freeing reality that
we don't have to strive for wholeness. It is already
ours right now. We just have to be in the
posture of receiving. And so thank you so much for
spending this time with me today. And as always, if
this episode resonated with you, just you know, feel free
(18:45):
to pass it on to somebody who might need to
hear this or that reminder that they are already enough.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And that nothing is missing.
Speaker 3 (18:51):
Okay, that is it for this week, and I'll be
back with more of the God Pod next week.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Bye. We'll be back with more What's God Got to
Do with It?
Speaker 3 (19:02):
But in the meantime, I would definitely love to hear
from you, so just tell me where you are in
your story or maybe what questions you have, like where
do you feel you need clarity or support or wisdom
in your own journey. I definitely want to hear from you,
So head on over to What's God Got to Do
with It dot com and scroll down to the form
(19:22):
to share your thoughts, your questions, your feedback, and you
can do that instantly, So What's God Got to Do
With It?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Dot com you'll find all the ways to do that.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
And if you like this podcast and want to hear more,
go ahead and follow, like, and subscribe wherever you listen
to podcasts to get your weekly dose of What's God
Got to Do With It? New episodes drop every single Tuesday,
and while you're there, be.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Sure to rate and review to show your support. It
really means so much.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
What's God Got to Do With It is an iHeartRadio
podcast on the Amy Brown Podcast Network. It's written and
hosted by me Ellington, executive produced by Elizabeth Fozzio, post
production and editing by Houston Tilley, and original music written
Speaker 4 (20:07):
By Cheryl Stark and produced by Adam Stark
Host
Leanne Ellington
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