Foundation for Living Abundantly

Does life ever seem dull and meaningless? In a world full of busyness and evil, it's easy to feel that way. But is it suppose to be like this? Does God really want us to have such a boring life? Scripture indicates otherwise. In one of His many talks with the Jews Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, NASB.)

An abundant life doesn't mean having a longer life. It means having a more full life, one more full of God, His presence, His guidance, goodness, and beauty. When Jesus came to earth, He came to give us life. Not a boring, grey, uninteresting life, but a bright, joyful, exciting one.

It seems idealistic and not at all possible. In a world full of natural disasters, evil people, and tough circumstances, how is a good, joy-filled life possible? What can we do to start on that path? There are two parts to living abundantly.

~ First, it happens only through God. A life apart from God will naturally be dark. Jesus said He was the Light of the world (John 8:12), and Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that Satan blinds the unbelieving so he can keep them from God. However, Jesus can shine through that blindness and then it's up to us whether or not we'll follow that light.

~ Next, we must choose to live an abundant life. Living abundantly doesn't come naturally and while it is a gift God bestows on us, He doesn't force it on us. It needs to be our choice.

In the upcoming posts we'll dive into this more. Abundant living is such a complex topic it'll take many posts to uncover all the aspects of it. For now, it's important to remember that an abundant life is possible and what God desires for us to have. "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." (Ephesians 3:20, NASB.)