“. . . I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” ~~John 10:10b (NAS)
You know the type. The woman had been in church all her life. She was of the mindset that every time the doors were open, you should be there. She could recite the Bible “till the cows came home,” as she told everyone. She tried her best to be involved in every possible aspect of the church, every committee or function or ministry. But, when people were around her, they felt a heaviness—a spirit of drudgery. She seemed to merely survive, void of any joy in the journey of living.
Okay—so I made up this character, but she could be real. In fact, maybe all of us have been in her shoes at one time or another. Or, we know someone like her.
Jesus doesn’t want us to get through this life with gritted teeth and white knuckles, hoping to hold on until the end and dragging ourselves across the finish line when we finally receive the promise of heaven. He didn’t come only so we could go live with Him for all eternity in paradise. That is a most amazing future to look forward to, for sure, but there is SO much more. The verse above says He came so that we can live abundantly. He wants to give us a full and extraordinary life right now.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3, NAS)
Notice how it says, “This is eternal life.” I take that as meaning it starts now—that we are able to know Him, even while still living on this earth in this mortal life.
Read these lyrics from the Casting Crowns song, “Thrive”:
We know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives. It’s time for us to more than just survive. We were made to thrive.
Yes! God wants us to thrive in this life. To live with joy and purpose. Of course, there are seasons in our lives when we feel like all we are doing is surviving—those times of losing a loved one or great financial strain or other situations that can seem overwhelming. But, the Lord understands our hearts when we are hurting and struggling. He wants to bring us through those things back to a place of blossoming, helping us to grow all along the way.
“In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” (1 Peter 5:10, NLT)
Be encouraged. And strive to thrive!
©2014 Tammy Maseberg All Rights Reserved