What Does Abundant Life Look Like in Tough Times?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life and have it abundantly.”

(NASB) -Jesus Christ

What does it mean to have an abundant life? If Jesus came to give us this kind of life, then it means more than just surviving when life is hard. It means we don’t have to wait for things to go our way to have joy.

Maybe living abundantly isn’t about whether life is easy and we have everything we want. Maybe it’s about living abundantly in every situation—being fully human and living life to the full when it’s going great and when it’s tough.

If you are a believer in Christ, what does it look like to live abundantly when life is hard? We cannot change the circumstances of our world, but we can change our perspective to live abundantly in the here and now, no matter what is happening around us.

To live an abundant life in tough times looks like this:

1. We hold on to our identity. If you are a believer in Christ, you are a child of God. John 1:12 tells us: But to all who believed him (Jesus) and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. No matter what your earthly parents are like, your heavenly Father is perfect. His love for you is infinite! He will always be patient and kind, good and honest, just and faithful. He promises to never leave you, not even for a second. He doesn’t promise to take hard situations and tough times away, but He does promise to walk through them with you. As God’s child, you can trust Him, pour out your heart to Him, and rest in Him. Tune in to PRAISE 106.5 and Listen Live to be reminded of your identity all day long.
2. We admit we are not in control and we come to the One who is. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells us to become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. What is a little child like? A little child is fully dependent on his or her father and mother to take care of them. They are not in control, and they trust their parents who are much bigger and stronger than them. In the same way, when we come to God our Father as little children, admit we do not have control over our world, and trust God to take care of everything, we can let go of our burdens. This allows us to live in greater abundance and freedom.
3. We practice gratitude. Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” This verse is not a command to “fake it ‘til you feel better”! And it’s not telling us to be thankful for the tough times we are going through. It says to be thankful IN the midst of all circumstances. How is that possible, and why should we be thankful in all circumstances? First of all, it is possible because we can always be thankful for who God is and for His help. Each day we are alive there is something to say “thank you” for. And, when we are thankful IN all situations, we are making a statement of faith and victory that God is worthy of worship and praise, and we belong to Him. That is a reminder to ourselves and those around us, and it is also a powerful way to pray. BONUS: Consistent gratitude lifts us out of depression more effectively than anything else.
4. We accept our humanity and don’t beat ourselves up about it. Everyone has times when they feel overwhelmed and are sad or angry or afraid. Sometimes we feel guilty about that. We think it’s not being “a good Christian” to feel that way. But that’s not true, and we don’t have to look far in the Bible to see that everyone had times of feeling defeated and depressed. Psalm 42:11 is just one of many times that David expressed his distress. He said, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” It is a normal human reaction to feel sad and discouraged. We don’t like to feel those ways, but it’s part of being human. And God can handle it! He gave us emotions, and He wants us to bring everything to Him in prayer—our anger, our doubts, our grief, our depression, our fear. His shoulders are big enough to carry it all and ours are not. We were not created to handle the problems of the world. Jesus takes care of those.
5. We connect with community. God made us for fellowship. It’s why none of us is fully self-sufficient. We were designed to live in family—in community. There is security in knowing that even at our worst, there are those who will love us and stick by us. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. But even when it’s hard, as long as that community is not abusive, we really need to stay put and not leave. We invite you to join the community of PRAISE every day online and on air. We are here to encourage you and lift you up, to give you hope when every other radio station is handing out discouragement. We are doing life together. We want to pray for you specifically and lift up your needs to our Heavenly Father, so please tell us your prayer request.
6. We find joy in the daily rhythms of life. Time with our families and friends. Watching a TV show that makes us laugh. Reading the comics. Going to the beach. Eating takeout. There are so many things we can do to break up our routine, get out of the house, and enjoy life. Slowing down and putting away our social media and other distractions, and smelling the flowers as we walk. Listening intently to our friend on the phone. All of these things add joy to our life and are part of abundance. One thing we’ve learned this past year and a half is not to take anything for granted. Let’s dive in together and live this life we’ve been given to the full, abundantly!
7. We take time each day to “Be still and know that God is God.” Psalm 46:10 is a great reminder for every trial in our life. God tells us that the day is coming when He will be exalted through all the earth. If we are His child, we can look forward to that day with great anticipation and joy. And today, we live in hope because we can trust Him. He tells us to stop fretting and worrying and to be still. Go to a quiet place in your home or in your car or wherever you can be alone, be completely still, and focus on this truth: There is one God and He is in control. You belong to Him. He loves you and will always take care of you. He loves those you love and will always do what is best for them. He has abundant life for us. We live in faith and hope. This is abundant life.

We invite you to share life with PRAISE. You are part of our community, and we care about you.

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