The Abundant Life

You don’t realize it, but your life’s most dire prayers could be summed up in one phrase: “Where’s my John 10:10?” Jesus promised it, we trust Him, but our believing isn’t bringing about seeing. We know we should have it, but we don’t. Where’s our “abundant life?”

“I came that they might have and enjoy life,

and have it in abundance

(to the full, till it overflows).”

John 10:10 (AMP)

We have abundance, but it’s an abundance of problems. And the only thing overflowing in our lives is despair. As we look at our life, very rarely are we “enjoying it.” Very seldom do we feel as though our life is full of anything but heartache and worry. So, where’s the fulfillment of the promise? Is God failing to come through? It appears that God has forgotten us and His John 10:10 promise. We desperately desire the “abundant life,” but don’t seem to have a clue as to how to obtain it.

If we’ll take a look into Jesus’ further words on this subject, we find ourselves faced with a dilemma. Jesus says we have a choice to make . . . and the choice doesn’t seem to make much sense when it comes to obtaining the abundant life we’re after.

“If you cling to your life,

you will lose it,

and if you let go of your life,

you will save it.”

(Luke 17:33 NLT)

The life that is most emptied is the one that is truly filled. But we cling. We’re afraid of letting go, in the fear that we might lose all that we desire. But, Jesus sets the record straight—God’s ways are higher . . . and He says by letting go of our life, by emptying ourselves for His purposes, we obtain life like we’ve never known. You’re not truly alive until He’s alive in you. And you will never make a long lasting impact on the world around you, until you allow God to impact you.  

You have a purpose. God created you specifically to accomplish a particular goal in His plans. It’s by drawing near to Him, surrendering to His will, sitting at His feet, and waiting patiently on His voice, that you’ll come to understand how God has gifted you and how He wants to use your life to impact those around you.

God knows your desires. He is well aware of the dreams you have. And He can give you all you need and more, but He wants you to know Him intimately and be in direct relationship with Him each and every moment of your life. He delights in every detail of your life, and He knows the way you should take to best accomplish His purposes to bring about your good for His glory.

“Seek the Kingdom of God

above all else,

and live righteously,

and he will give you everything you need.”

(Matthew 6:33 NLT)

We’ve got it backwards, most of the time. We want to accomplish all our desires, and then we’ll have time to give ourselves to God and His purposes. But, His way is perfect (see Psalm 18:30). God says, “Seek Me first . . . I’ll give you your hearts desires.” We can’t acquire what only God can give us. And He’s designed us to be wholly dependent upon Him. When we’re striving to live life independently of Him, we’re clinging to life . . . and God says if we do that, we’ll lose what we really desire.

You’ll never experience more joy, until you’re used by God to impact your world for His eternal purposes. He’s called you. He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called; He wants to use you in ways that you cannot imagine. The abundant life comes not by what you accomplish, but by what you relinquish. Give God all your hopes and desires . . . surrender them all into His hands and allow Him to work in His way, in His time, doing whatever He desires with your life. Trust Him in the valleys and on the mountaintops and never take your eyes off Him. Allow Him to live through you in all you say and do and you’ll never know a greater joy. When you’re living your life for God’s purposes, diligently building your relationship with Him and relying on Him as your all in all, you’ll find Him working out all the details of your life and providing all that you can imagine . . . in abundance.