For the season of Lent, I decided to give up something.

I know what you’re thinking. “WOW! Way to go, Jeff. Give up something for Lent . . . shocker. How novel.” Yes, many people attempt to wow God with their aesthetically pleasing spiritual gymnastics, but this year, my desire (I think) came from a deeper longing.

I was tired. And I knew there was more to the life I’d been living. More than busyness. More than exhaustion. More than checking religious boxes.

So, I gave up hurry. Yes, you heard me right. I’ve given up hurry for the season of Lent. I’m trying to drive slower (and still not get run over). I’m trying to free up space in my daily calendar for more time to be with those I love and care about, to enjoy some time set aside just for pure, personal enjoyment. And most importantly, I’m choosing God over busyness.

So far, I’m having more wins than losses. I’m not where I want to be, but I am further along than where I started—and that’s good. That pleases the Father. 

Maybe lately you’ve found yourself asking a similar question—or maybe you’re feeling an inner tug and a gnawing feeling: What if there’s more? What if there’s more to this life God has given us than the rat-race of 8-6 or 7-7, or worse. Maybe there’s more than layering on more extracurricular activities, work calls, and weekend to-do lists? What if our constant motion isn’t moving us toward anything that lasts?

What if the life you were made for is a life rooted in holiness?

I know, I know! I can hear the collective groan. “Holiness?! That’s the solution?! How about a vacation on a beach with a drink that has a little umbrella in it?” Well, hear me out.

The Question Beneath the Busyness

Allison (not her real name) remembers exactly when the question first surfaced. A successful project manager, mother of two, an up-and-coming church leader, and a respected community leader, she looked like she had it all together. Inside, however, she was tired—tired of the endless busyness, the constant comparisons, the chasing after accomplishments that promised happiness but never quite delivered.

One morning, while driving her children to school and mentally prepping for another packed day, she realized she felt completely disconnected—from God, her family, and even her own soul. In a moment of honesty, Allison quietly wondered, “Is this really all there is?”

She’s not alone. That question—Is there more?—is the heartbeat of the human soul. And I believe the answer lies in recovering a word many of us have misunderstood: holiness.

A Different Way to Understand Holiness

When many people hear the word holiness, they picture religious rule-keeping, impossible moral standards, or a personality that’s more somber than joyful. Perhaps it’s your Granny’s legalistic church, which feels tied to guilt, striving, or an outdated religious culture. No wonder people feel like it’s not for them. 

But what if we’ve misunderstood it entirely?

What if holiness isn’t about becoming more religious, but more fully human? What if it’s not about impressing God, but being shaped by the love of God until it spills over into every part of who we are? What if scriptural holiness is the “missing piece” to the life Jesus described in John 10:10—a life full to overflowing? 

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, certainly thought so. For him, holiness wasn’t a heavy burden but a joyful invitation. It was about living fully aligned with God’s heart—saturated in love, driven by grace, and shaped by Jesus. The theological term for this is sanctification, but don’t let that word scare you off. It simply means being made whole by love. Not forced into perfection, but drawn into transformation (STOP! Re-read the last three sentences . . . slowly). 

Author Dan Wilt puts it this way:

“Paul was not confronted by some generic version of divine power—he was arrested by personal and profound love.”

When Paul wrote, “It is God’s will that you should be holy” — 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NLT), he wasn’t assigning spiritual homework. He was describing the kind of life we were created for.

The Message version of Paul’s words to the church of Ephesus is a beautifully rendition of God’s desire for all of humanity who are in Christ.

“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.” – Ephesians 1:3-6 (MSG). 

Did you see it?! It’s the phrase “whole and holy.” God’s ultimate desire is for us – His bride, the Church – to be whole and holy. We are made whole and holy by his love. Again, we are not forced into perfection, but drawn into transformation. 

Holiness Lived, Not Just Believed

So, what does scriptural holiness look like in real life?

It’s not about grand gestures—it’s about daily surrender. It shows up in how we speak to our spouse, how we navigate conflict, how we spend our money, how we treat the poor, and how we manage our anxiety. Holiness means saying “yes” to God’s way and “no” to anything that dims the light of love. It means grounding your ever experience of God and His mercy in the Word of God. Scriptural holiness means choosing grace over grudges, generosity over greed, and peace over performance.

But here’s the best part: holiness isn’t a self-improvement project. Scriptural holiness is a relationship. The same God who calls you to holiness walks with you every step of the way. And God is far more patient with your progress than you are (STOP! Re-read that). 

Like a gardener tending a vine, God doesn’t rush your growth. You can’t force fruit from the branch.

Holiness unfolds over time, in the soil of grace, through the daily practice of being in the Word of God the Spirit of God transforms us. It grows in stillness, in prayer, in community, in service, and in the quiet moments when you dare to believe that God is shaping something beautiful in you—even when you can’t yet see it.

What If There’s More?

That longing inside you—that whisper that says this can’t be all there is—isn’t your imagination. It’s the Holy Spirit inviting you deeper. Not into more religion, but into more relationship. Into wholeness. Into freedom. Into holiness – shaped by the Living Word of God.

As we journey together over the next three months, I want to explore this call to what we, in the Wesleyan tradition, call scriptural holiness. My prayer is that you’ll discover it not as a burdensome ideal, but as an invitation into the very life your heart has been craving. 

And maybe, just maybe, we’ll all learn to slow down, breathe deep, and realize that scriptural holiness isn’t a prize for the spiritual elite. It’s the heart you were made for. 

Try This:

This week, take three minutes to sit silently before God (preferably each day, but do what you can) and pray the following: “Lord, help me receive Your love today—not earn it, not perform for it, not to explain it—just receive it.”

Then pause. Breathe. Listen. And repeat. Watch what begins to grow.

Next, we’ll take this conversation a step further by exploring how God not only desires us to be holy—but provides the way for it to happen. Until then, rest in this truth: the life you were made for is already unfolding.

Share