Abundant Life

Abundant Life

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 (NLT)

Abundance is the opposite of scarcity. Often, when we think of these words, we immediately associate them with having a lot of money—or the lack of it. But this morning I reflect on the fact that the abundance Jesus offers has far more to do with things beyond money. The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy in every area. But Christ’s purpose is to give us an abundant life spiritually, in our families, socially, in our health, and also financially.

• Spiritual abundance.
  First of all, we are saved. But spiritual abundance does not end there. We have an abundance of spiritual gifts to serve, and access to the abundance of the fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, and faith (Galatians 5:22–23, NLT).

• Family abundance.
  Many people have millions of dollars yet do not have a healthy family; in fact, some are completely alone. Jesus gives us abundance at home to truly enjoy marriage and children: laughing together, eating together, vacationing together, collapsing on the couch to watch a movie together. This kind of abundance does not come from money; it comes from Christ.

• Social abundance.
  This is reflected in having many good friends, cultivating healthy relationships at work, and having positive connections in places of influence. It is a wealth measured by the quality of our relationships.

• Financial abundance.
  Jesus not only wants us to prosper spiritually—He also blesses us with financial abundance. As 3 John 1:2 (NLT) says: “Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.”

This abundance gives us enough for our needs, to help others, and to advance the gospel.

We may have an enormous amount of money, but if we lack spiritual, family, and social abundance, we cannot consider it a truly abundant life. Jesus’ plan is complete. He came so that we may have a full life—overflowing in every area—overcoming the enemy’s plan of scarcity.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 (NLT)

Think About It:

1. In which of these four areas (spiritual, family, social, financial) do you need to experience more of the abundant life Jesus offers?

2. Have you been defining “abundance” only in terms of money? How does seeing it in this holistic way change your perspective?

3. What step can you take this week to cultivate “family abundance,” such as spending quality time together?