Theme 2018: Thrive!
1 January, 2018
1 January, 2018
God wants you to thrive, not just survive.
Thrive is a life word; a word full of shalom. Thriving is what God saw when He created life and saw that it was good. In fact, “thrive” was the first command to man: “Be fruitful, and multiply!” God made you to flourish, to thrive!
Yet we know so many people today are merely living in “survival” mode. They have a mentality that says, “If I can just make it through…” or “If I can just get by…”
When you’re in survival mode, you’re just trying to get through the day. Everything is urgent. Your back is up against the wall. The stress is overwhelming. Your sleep is disrupted, your breathing feels odd, and you can’t think straight. You will yourself to calm down, but it doesn’t work. There’s a lack of joy. You survive for the weekend.
Of course, there are some seasons that are more challenging than others. Sometimes it’s hard to get a clear vision for the future. But if you are constantly living with a survival mentality, you are missing out on God’s best. The Bible doesn’t say, “Jesus came so you could survive.” No, it says that He came to give you a rich and satisfying life. That is the promise of the eternal God!
Are you surviving or thriving? Surviving is for those who have no hope. That’s not you – not if you’re God’s child. You were meant to thrive! John Ortberg, a best-selling author, writes: “God made you to flourish – to receive life from outside yourself, creating vitality within yourself and producing blessing beyond yourself. Flourishing is God’s gift and plan.” A popular song by Casting Crowns says: “We were made for so much more than ordinary life. It’s time for us to more than just survive. We were made to thrive.”
As you step into 2018, start embracing “thrive” as your life word – not survive. God wants you to thrive in your faith, with your family and friends. He wants you to thrive in your forte, in your future, even in failures. You can thrive no matter what life throws at you. Even if you’re in a tough season right now, remember tough times don’t last, but the Word of the Lord stands forever.
Begin to declare what God says about your circumstances because you are made for more than to just get by – you are made to thrive!
Pastor Hock Cheng