Are you living a full life - a life you fully enjoy? Do you have the kind of joyful, abundant life that God desires you to have? Or has that kind of life always felt elusive, like something that can’t really be possible in a world that is often so tragic and challenging?
God doesn’t want us to just be surviving in life, he wants us to be thriving and enjoying life fully.
There are things you can do today, changes you can make to the way you think about your life, that can dramatically change your joy and peace in this world. If you're struggling to find abundant life, here are ten things you can do - most of them are changes to the way you think and process your life - that can help you take hold of the full life God wants for you.
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If you ask most people what their definition of a full life is, they might say something like this:
The list goes on. We think that ‘if’ we can just get that next thing, we will then be living a full life.
But did you know that God wants you to enjoy your life NOW? John 10:10 says “The thief [the devil] comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I [Jesus] came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” Other translations describe it as Jesus came so everyone would have life and have it abundantly (to the full, ‘til it overflows), in all its fullness, giving everyone a rich and satisfying life.
What a beautiful promise – God doesn’t want us to just be surviving in life, he wants us to be thriving and enjoying life fully.
Let’s dive deeper into Scripture and see what God’s Word has to say about having an abundant, full and fulfilling life:
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“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34). It’s so easy for us to get lost in what lies ahead for us. To worry about the future. Or dwell in the mistakes and hurts of the past. But what does worrying about the future or fretting about the past do? Nothing. It certainly does not change your situation nor change the outcome. And it takes away from living in the present moment of today. God has blessing and tasks for your today. Don’t miss them by living in the worry of tomorrow. Turn that worry about the future to faith in God so you can live a fuller life.
Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” The moment we realize that this life is aimed to please the Lord, and not men, the fuller of a life we will live. Whatever role you are in right now in life, whether it’s the VP of a corporation or a stay-at-home mom - what if you changed your perspective to the one of this Scripture? Whatever it is that you are doing for this season of your life, do it with all your heart. Aim on pleasing the Lord and the Lord alone. Apply this Scripture will lead to a fuller life as you’ll live with purpose no matter what you’re doing in this season.
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Jeremiah 29:11 tells us: “For I know that plans I have to you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” To live a full life is to live in the hope that God has a plan for you. No matter what circumstance you are walking in right now, even if it looks gloomy and dark, God still promises he has good plans for you. He promises that “all things work out together for good to those that love God and called to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). To live a full life is living with hope, knowing God has a plan for your life and he’s orchestrating even the bad circumstances for His good.
Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” God left us with the greatest gift as our personal guide - the Holy Spirit. Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Helper, Teacher, Comforter, and Counselor (John 14:16-26). We don’t have to live this life alone; we have the Spirit who lives in us and can guide us through the messy parts of life, giving us direction at every turn. To live a full life is to walk with the Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit lead you and guide your days. What a gift our Lord left us with!
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Psalm 139:13-14 speaks a beautiful truth to us. “You knit me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” To live a full life is to live a life fully loved. God formed you. Every single part of you. He knows the things that only you know. The hidden things, the shameful things, the things you wish you could erase. He loved you and made you perfect just as you are as He knows every part about you. What you consider scars, he considers beauty. He loves everything about you. He loved you so much that He gave His very own Son, who laid down his life for us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. To live a full life, one must accept this love, so that when the world leaves you thirsty and scarce, your cup is always full of God’s love for you.
8. Daily Remind Yourself That You Are Living a Life of Faith – Make Peace with Uncertainty
Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” To live a full life is to live with faith that God is faithful and will fulfill His promises. Know this – it’s not faith if it is seen. True faith is trusting in the unseen.
Abraham and Noah are examples of living a life of faith. Abraham was told that his wife Sarah would bear a child who was in her 90’s. Noah was told to build an ark because rain was coming to flood the earth when it had never rained before. They had to have faith and believe in what was unseen and what seemed impossible. Thankfully, we serve a God of the impossible. For “nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) To live a full life is to walk in faith and not by sight so God’s plan can be fulfilled through you just like it was accomplished through these heroes of the Bible.
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Philippians 4:6-7 – “Don’t be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” To live a full life means to live in peace even when we don’t understand our circumstances. That means you must give up your right to understand everything, handing over your fears, anxieties and hopes, and accepting the peace of God.
I confess, I am so guilty of this. I want to know the plan. I want every detail of that plan. And when I don’t know the plan, it tends to spin me into a chaotic place frantically trying other ways to understand the plan. Releasing that understanding and trusting God through prayer ‘in every situation” is the way to a full life. Rather than feel that chaotic anxiety, present everything to God and then allow His peace to overcome you.
10. A Full Life is Possible When We Live in Freedom of What God Has Done
Galatians 5:1 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of bondage.” To live a full life, you must realize that the whole purpose Jesus came to earth was so that he can set us free through forgiveness. We are not tied to our sins, addictions, or pasts. Christ came to set us free from that, so we don’t have to be a slave to anything of this world. Pray for freedom, because it is freely yours. Through freedom, you can live a full life broken of all past bondage.
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Friends, don’t wait on the “if” to start walking in the abundantly full life God promised us. Don’t base a full life on your circumstances as they are always changing. If your life is solely dependent on circumstances to experience a full life, you will always be disappointed. Start walking in a full life TODAY. God may not guarantee us constant happiness as we live in a fallen world, but He does promise to be an ever-flowing source so that we can “have life and can have it FULLY. (John 10:10) Take these scriptures mentioned to heart, mediate on them, ask God for the wisdom to apply them, then go out and live your life to the fullest.
Alisha Headley is a writer and speaker who has a passion to meet the everyday woman in her everyday life with wisdom gained from personal experiences and Biblical truth. Through her unique style of writing, she is able to seamlessly connect with other women. She talks bout tough everyday truths by sharing her own personal struggles along with a variety of life experiences. Alisha is a proud stay at home wifey and dog mama who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can find Alisha here:
Blog: www.alishaheadley.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alisha.herlifeblog
Instagram: www.instagram.com/alisha.headley
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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Salem Web Network and Salem Media Group.
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Originally published Thursday, 02 January 2020.
