John 10v10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Inside your soul there is a battle. A battle between life and death. A battle between abundance and scarcity. A battle between a flourishing self - the person you were created to be - and a languishing self.
God made you to flourish
The enemy wants you to languish
When you flourish you are most fully alive. You have a purpose for living. You are drawn to put on virtue and put off sin. But when you are languishing, you feel uneasy and discontent. You find yourself drawn to bad habits - watching too much TV, drinking too much, misusing sex, or spending too much - because these things are anesthetizing the pain.
When you flourish your thoughts are marked with joy and peace. You are curious and love to learn. You ask questions. You are not easily bored. You wake up with a sense of expectancy and purpose. But when you languish your thoughts drift toward fear or anger. Learning does not feel worth the effort. Your thoughts are dominated by yourself - do people like me? will I have enough? The only reason I feel this way is because of him!
When you flourish you pour blessings into your relationships. You find other people to be a source of wonder. They bring you energy and life. When you are with them, you are able to listen deeply. You are struck by their dreams. You bless. You share. You forgive. You love. But when you languish you isolate. You dominate. You attack. You withdraw.
When you flourish God can use you in his plan to redeem the world. You live with a sense of calling and a desire to contribute. You invest your time. Your money. Your talents into His world. You become resilient in suffering. You get better. You grow.
Is your life flourishing?
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