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Pursuing Life in All Its Fullness

  • Monica Bard
  • September 16, 2022
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Is it just me, or do you feel like you’re surrounded by loss? Does your phone ring daily, or at least weekly, with news of another death, another diagnosis, another hardship?

Maybe it was the pandemic that started it, or perhaps it’s the reality that many others my age have suffered the loss of their parents or are now dealing with their own medical issues. Regardless, this repetitive news of loss and hardship dares me to reflect and ask the question, “Am I living my life to its fullest?”

Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Living life to its fullest means living my life in Christ, and He promises us abundant life. He truly desires more for us than we can imagine. But Jesus also makes it clear that Satan will never stop trying to steal, kill, and destroy this promised life of abundance.

How does he do this? Satan whispers in our ear that living in comfort leads to immense joy. I’ve experienced some desperate and difficult situations, yet when I look in my rearview mirror, I find that it’s in those uncomfortable situations that I have experienced the extraordinary joy of growing closer to Christ.

Satan also flaunts our plans for the future before us, taunting us to pursue them at all costs, persuading us that it’s the only way to happiness. But God’s Word teaches otherwise, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” (Proverbs 19:21).

Just as he uses our comfort and our plans to lead us away from Christ, Satan will use every effort to convince us that earthly desires bring joy and security. He attempts to persuade us that our security is found in our careers, our finances, and our popularity, while also encouraging us we’ll find happiness when we gratify the desires of our flesh and minds.

These are Satan’s strategies to erect barriers against the life promised by Christ. A life lived fully. A life lived abundantly in Christ.

My phone rings one more time—news of another loss. Friends, it would be so easy to throw in the towel and simply give in. That’s what Satan wants me to do. Instead, each loss motivates me to dig my heels in against him and pursue a life lived to its fullest by growing stronger in Jesus Christ, my Savior. He is the only One Who can fulfill His promise of an abundant life.

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Monica Bard

Monica has been married to Gary for 34 years and they reside on family farmland outside El Campo, a small town along the Texas Gulf Coast. They’re empty nesters, but the best job God ever gave Monica is being mom to their adventurous daughter, Meredith. Family means everything to Monica and together they share a love of the outdoors, road-trip adventures, and exploring the history of people and places. Monica pens words that encourage perseverance in faith and resilience in loving others. Why? Because that’s what God did in her life. Today Monica and her hubby enjoy the sweet times of restoration and redemption, but that wasn’t always the case. You can read more about the sweetness discovered in Jesus-filled hope on her blog and by connecting with her on Facebook and Instagram.

2 comments
  1. Nikki S. White says:
    September 16, 2022 at 4:22 am

    Oh, thank you for pointing us back to the truth, Monica! The world says “live in the moment”, but Jesus says, “Dwell in Me.” The abundant, full life we seek can only be found in Him.

    And thank you for reminding us that we have an enemy that seeks to deplete our hope and joy with his distractions.

    Amen, sister! Amen!

    Reply
    1. Monica Bard says:
      September 20, 2022 at 6:16 pm

      Hallelujah & Amen, Nikki! Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. May the Lord continue to lift you up and fill you with His joy as you pursue a life fully lived in Him!

      Reply

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