Living in Alignment - How congruency leads us deeper into the way of Jesus

I've noticed something about my Malibu... the wheels are out of alignment and it doesn't matter how firmly I hold the steering wheel, the ride feels off. It pulls, the tires will wear unevenly, and even the smallest bump throws things off.

Life feels a lot like that when my heart, words, and actions aren't aligned. I can try to steer hard, keep up appearances, and push through, but deep down I know something is out of order. My life isn't flowing as one whole story.

That's where the word congruency comes in.

It's about alignment... living as one whole person. For me, congruency means my heart, my words, and my actions all line up under the way of Jesus. It's integrity. It's wholeness. It's learning to live one story, no matter where I am or who I'm with.

Congruency as Alignment

Practicing the way of Jesus isn't about compartmentalizing my faith… keeping it in a Sunday box, a family box, or a work box. Instead, it's about alignment. My life, in every sphere, ordered under Him.

Congruency as Integrity

When Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-39), He was calling us to live without the cracks between what we say and what we do. To let love guide both.

Congruency as Wholeness

The Bible uses the word shalom to describe a kind of peace that is more than calm feelings. It's wholeness - nothing missing, nothing broken. Congruency echoes that vision. It's being the same person everywhere, not fractured or fragmented, but made whole in Christ.

Of course, I don't always live this way. There are days when my words don't match my actions, or my heart lags behind both. But the good news is that congruency is a journey, not a finish line. The Spirit is constantly shaping me toward wholeness, inviting me to practice the way of Jesus with integrity and love.

So here's the questions I've been asking myself:

• Where do I feel the pull to be different versions of myself?
• What would it look like for my heart, words, and actions to align more fully in Jesus?

Practicing the way of Jesus is about becoming a whole person in Him. Congruency isn't perfection, it's presence. It's choosing to live the same story of Jesus' love wherever we are and with whomever we're with.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. Shape me into a person of congruency where my heart, my words, and my actions flow together in You. Help me to be the same in every place and with every person, so that my life tells one story: Your love at work in me. Amen.