Abundant Life Isn’t What You Think

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

And let’s be real—our world is packed with thieves. Consumerism, politics, hookup culture, self-help spirituality—they all promise life and leave you with a tab and a hangover.

Even the church gets messy. Prosperity preaching, legalism, celebrity Christians, sermons softer than a Dunkin’ donut—pretty, sugary, and spiritually diabetic.

Everybody’s selling a version of “abundance,” but most of it is noise, glitter, and anxiety dressed up as destiny.

Jesus doesn’t offer a curated life—He provides a resurrected one.

And yes, that abundant life can come with cancer, grief, loneliness, unanswered prayers, and nights where you ugly-cry into your pillow.
If abundance meant ease, Jesus would’ve been the least blessed man in history.

Instead, He suffered, loved, obeyed, and overflowed.

Because abundance isn’t the absence of pain; it’s the presence of Christ in the middle of it.

You can be broke and held.
Brokenhearted and steady.
Struggling and still alive in Him.

And the blessings are wild and stubborn:
peace that doesn’t evaporate,
a clean conscience, purpose that’s bigger than your paycheck,
a family in Christ who shows up when life falls apart,
and hope that doesn’t stop at the grave.

Best of all— we get Jesus.
Not a hobby. Not a dopamine hit.
A Shepherd who knows your name and won’t leave you in the dark.

So why don’t people want this?
Pride.
We’d rather DIY our souls than surrender them. We’d rather pretend we’re fine than admit we’re dying.

But Christ didn’t die to help you cope—
He died to make you new.

Abundant life isn’t shiny; it’s sacred.
It’s not smooth; it’s sustained.

And it’s not earned— it’s given.

Prayer for This Week

Lord Jesus,
You know how fast we chase the thieves—
the shiny, the loud, the easy, the false.
You know how often we settle for scraps when You offer a feast.

Teach us to recognize Your voice above the noise. Give us courage to let go of counterfeit abundance— and cling to the kind that heals instead of hides.

For those walking through suffering right now, wrap them in the stubborn peace You promised. For those numb and running, awaken them with mercy, not shame.

Make us people who live full, even when we’re broken, people who walk through darkness with a Shepherd,
not alone with a flashlight.

Hold us.
Change us.
Lead us.

And let our lives reflect the scandalous truth: that real abundance is found in You,
and nowhere else.

Amen.