Three Things That Help Us Live An Abundant Life
1- Ask the Right Questions
God loves when we ask Him great questions. Unfortunately, “Why” is often not a great question word. “Why” is a victim word and God refuses to see us as victims – He lives in us how can we possibly be victims of anything?
Instead ask, “Who do You want to be for me in this Lord?” or “What aspect of who You are, are You wanting to make more real to me in this?”Another good question to ask is, “How can I get how I feel right now and my beliefs about this person, circumstance or situation to be the same as God’s?” Ask God how He feels about what is happening and what He believes about it then choose to agree with Him. Move your beliefs over to His side of the equation.
2 – See Opposition as Opportunity
Too often when we come against opposition or difficulties – in relationships, at work, at school, in the store, at home, we become defeated or discouraged. God is never defeated or discouraged, no matter what we do or don’t do. In the face of opposition, we must call to the forefront of our thinking what has been God’s intent for us from the very beginning – “Let Us make man in Our image.” He has not changed. He is committed to making us like Him so He allows opportunities in our lives that will enable us to grow in the fruit of the Spirit. Bank line-ups are great opportunities to become more patient. Marriage is a great institution to help us become more kind and family in general create excellent opportunities to grow up in self-control. When opposition comes your way, change how you think about it.
Instead of getting upset, view it as an to experience God’s grace in the situation. Choose to view opposition as an opportunity to grow in God.
3 – Know What the Bible Says
We have to remember that we are not called to live in the reality of this world – we are in the world but not of it (John 15, John 17). God calls us to live in, and from, a higher place, He calls us to live in Truth. And we know that Truth is a person not a concept. God calls us to live in Christ. To do this, we must know what the Bible says. 2 Peter 1 tell us that –
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence,4 by which He has granted to us His precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)
Knowing Jesus, and His precious and very great promises enables us to live godly lives and partake of His divine nature – to be like Him here on earth.
Asking the right questions, seeing opposition as opportunity and knowing what the Bible says helps us to live godly lives. Living a godly life is not what gets us heaven – belief in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection is the only thing that will enable us to receive eternal life. However, living a godly life enables us to discover the blessings of heaven here on earth, and to live the abundant life Jesus has made available to us.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, as we live out each day, help us to look to You to guide us in the questions we ask. Thank You for ears to hear Your answers, and hearts to put those answers into practise. We thank You for every opportunity You lovingly bring into our lives to know You more intimately and so become more like Jesus. Thank You for stirring a hunger in us to know what the Bible says and to know You, the author of abundant life.