Many years ago during one of the hardest seasons of my life, I learned the most about abundant living. While battling hardships and trials, I sought the Lord for the answers to my problems, and He diligently answered me. He led me to a Scripture in the Bible that jumped off the pages when I read it.
Deuteronomy 30:6 says, “Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.”
In these verses, I found the answer to what my heart longed to know. The word ‘circumcise’ is derived from a Latin word meaning, to cut. In the midst of excruciating trials, it felt like my heart was being circumcised. God was cutting away the idols in my heart that were hindering me from fully loving Him and fully living life. The process was painful, but ultimately it led me to the abundance my soul was longing for.
Everyone wants to live abundantly. The Bible says that Jesus came to give us life, and to give it more abundantly (John 10:10). Yet, how many people truly tap into the abundant life that Christ offers? Could it be the way we view our lives or what we equate happiness with?
For a season in my youthful years, I was seeking abundance in the wrong places, which led to disappointment. In God’s infinite grace, He took me through a season of testing, so that I would come forth as pure gold (Job 23:10). Through the stretching and tests, He led me to the true source of abundance.
The things in my past, that were the hardest to endure, are what led me to the abundant life in Christ—a life of genuine joy and peace—that is not determined by things or circumstances. Through the hardships, God gave me a new heart—a heart that rejoices because of His love.
Are you in the midst of being pulled and stretched? Do you feel as though life is caving in around you?
To be rebuilt, a house needs to be torn down first. It can be an excruciating process. Do not lose heart. God is building a beautiful spiritual house out of your life. He uses every loss and every struggle to bring good in the lives of those who love Him and live according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Nothing He allows in our lives is in vain. He uses it all.
For a child of God, it is pure joy to face trials because we know that no matter what is happening, Jesus is walking along beside us and carrying us through all of life’s hard situations.
Christ wants for us to love Him with all of our hearts, so that we can truly live abundantly and bask in His great love. In loving Jesus Christ more than anything or anyone, we can’t be shaken. When our lives are built upon Christ, we can’t lose our foundation and nothing or nobody can steal our joy.
Countless people in the world have been duped into believing that abundant living is found in wealth and material riches. The true abundant life is found in knowing Christ deeply. Jesus is everything—when we know this, then we know that any other good thing we have in life is only the icing on the cake.
May you enjoy Jesus this Christmas season and find hope through Him in the weariness of life.
Lord, I thank You for the abundance of joy and peace that You give to us in all seasons of life. Help us to continually look to You as our only source. Let us keep our eyes fixed upon You and enjoy You every day. Let us be content in all circumstances and know You are all we really need to live abundantly. We pray in Your name, Christ. Amen.
This revised post was originally written in 2008.
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