insatiable thirst as we live in this world. When sin entered the world,
so did discontentment with life. God desires for us to seek more out of
life. The problem is we displace our desire for more because of our
discontentment.
The purpose of the tension we feel with what we
want and what we have is to point us to God and to eternity. We’re meant
to desire more of God.
“O God, you are my
God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for
you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water” (Psalm 63:1).
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
God
wants us to have a life of abundance. But in God’s economy, it never
has to do with acquiring worldly possessions that will one day vanish.
Instead, it’s all about what’s eternal.
What Some Get Wrong about Abundant Living
Instead
of desiring more of God, some seek to fill our need for more with what
the world can give – material possessions, fame, achievement,
recognition, popularity, and accomplishments. Then we read John 10:10,
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” and we misuse
it to read that God will give us an abundance of those worldly pursuits
we crave.
What Is an Abundant Life?
Jesus came so that
we can have life because He is the embodiment of life. He said, “I am
the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me” (John 14:6). This life means eternal life in heaven. Because
of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we now have a way to be reconciled
with God and have eternal life with Him in heaven.
Nonetheless,
Jesus not only gives us the promise of eternal life in heaven, He also
gives us an abundant life here on earth. But His abundance has nothing
to do with worldly pursuits and everything to do with those attributes
that make us more like Him and that we can carry with us into heaven.
How We Can Have an Abundant Life in a Broken, Fallen World
Jesus
gives us the fruit of the Spirit, and this is the abundant life. “But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Jesus wants us to have the
best life possible in a world that is sometimes unbearable – a world
full of cruelty, injustice, sadness, and pain. He knows that the only
way that is possible is for us to take on His character of a life where
inwardly we are satisfied because we know who we are through Him, who He
is through God the Father, and where we are going – to heaven.
Our
lives can be falling apart all around us, and we can still have an
abundant life. The abundant life is a state of being from within, not a
result of external circumstances. It is the result of the pruning God
does to make us more like Him, and it is what we will take to heaven
with us (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). An abundant life is a life that keeps
on giving.
Which is Better – Abundance or an Abundant Life?
At
first look, we might be tempted to say, “What? I rather have a life of
abundance so I can have the stuff I want and be happy!” But when you’re
in a state of crisis, what’s worth more – a life full of fear,
anxiousness, and tension, or a life full of tranquility and the fruit of
the spirit? I think we’d agree that you can’t put a price tag on love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and
self-control.
An abundant life comes from following God’s ways,
pursuing holiness, and seeking to be more like Him. “This God — His way
is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all
those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30). As a result, others see the
abundant life in you and are led to Jesus through your example: “In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew
5:16).
God created us to want more. But which kind of “more” will
we seek? Abundance in worldly pursuits or an abundant life? The more we
desire God, the more abundant our life will be.
Always Remember
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. – John 10:10
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33
[written by Brenda Rodgers]
