Thrive Not Just Thrive!

I’ve seen statistics that report that only thirty percent of employees in the USA are actually feeling engaged in the day to day work life that occupies most of the week. That means that (approximately) seventy percent of the workforce is not involved, inspired, committed, passionate, focused, or energetic on a day to day basis. 

That means that day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year people go to work with no excitement or enjoyment for what they do. And, because this affects their personal lives as well, I would submit, this translates into a life of simply surviving. 

With so many options available, it seems strange that so many people would be disappointed with life and yet not make changes. This is true for marriages, jobs, houses, churches, activities, favorite sport teams, etc. 

I follow The Dallas Cowboys for NFL and The Ohio State Buckeyes for college, so many of friends give me a hard time because my teams are NOT from Minnesota. When asked “why”, I respond that the Minnesota teams (Vikings and Gophers) had continual seasons during which they lost, so I jumped ship and came up with other teams to cheer for. 

For this, I am given a hard time for not supporting the home team. It is as though someone communicated that the goal of life is to survive by just getting by. 

Survival means to keep alive against all odds; to endure or to tolerate or suffer patiently. An example would be to survive a car accident.

Thrive, on the other hand, means to prosper and be fortunate or successful. It means to grow or develop vigorously; flourish: advance.

Really? I don’t want to just survive: I want to thrive!

When plants are growing I want them to thrive; not just survive. I don’t want to tough it out at work or put up with bad relationships. I want to thrive!

In fact the reason we feel disappointed and stuck, I believe, is because we know we were made for so much more than ordinary lives. We were made for joy unspeakable, faith unsinkable, love unstoppable, anything is possible. 

We were made to thrive! Life abundant! (see John 10:10)

It's time for us to more than just survive in all areas of our lives including our marriages, jobs, houses, churches, activities, favorite sport teams, prayer life, devotions, etc.

The Bible says;

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NKJV)

 

The phrase ‘more than conquerors’ is referring back to the Apostle Paul’s early comments about tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword . That means that not only do we go in and take the territory, but we set up shop and LIVE and THRIVE in ALL areas of our lives!

 

Why? Because nothing in this life shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. He is the source of what gives us real life.

He is the source of our prosperity, our fortune and our successful.

 

He is the One who causes us to grow, develop vigorously, and to flourish, and to advance.

 

So stop what you are doing right now; pause and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Let Him readjust your perspective. Let Him bring you the hope that there is so much more to this life than just surviving.

 

My friends; we were made for so much more than ordinary lives.

 

We were made to thrive!