Living abundantly is a somewhat ambiguous term. Is it possible for everyone? What does "living abundantly" even look like?

That's exactly what we'll be talking about today in this post. Let's jump into it.

In John 10:10 (NASB), Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly." In a previous post we discussed how God wants us to have an abundant life, one that is full of Him and the good things He offers us. Today we'll dig into what those "good things" are and how we can begin living an abundant life.

In preparation for this post I researched the above verse in the original Greek text to get a better grasp of what Jesus was driving at when He said we could have life. When Jesus said the word life, He used the Greek verb zoe. Zoe describes a life that's real and genuine, active and vigorous, someone full of vitality.

In other words, Jesus wants us to have a life stripped of facades, lethargy, purposelessness, and dullness. This is available for anybody and everybody regardless of age, position in life, and past. The only prerequisite is that we find this life in Jesus. 

"This is all well and fine," you might say. "But how do I live an abundant life?"

 Great question! There are several practical ways to start living life like Jesus has planned for us. There's no specific formula, but there are different methods. Below are only a few to implement. If you have another way of living abundantly, that's great! This list is only supposed to jump-start you.

Also, don't think abundant living means you sit around all day praying or reading your Bible. Spending time with God regularly is important but it's not the only thing that will give us an abundant life. When Jesus was on earth, even He didn't spend all day in the synagogue or up on a mountain praying. He did withdraw to talk with His Father, but He also attended weddings, payed attention to children, organized feasts, and told stories. The mundane, everyday things are important to Jesus as well as the high, holy things. Don't neglect them.

This one's a hard one for everyone, including me! It's so easy to think about everything that's wrong or could go wrong. If we're on the lookout for something to criticize, worry, or complain about, there are plenty of opportunities.

However, being negative doesn't help anyone, including the person being negative. In fact, it does more harm than good. In Philippians 2:14 we're told to do everything without complaining or arguing. In Philippians 4:4 Paul tells us to rejoice. This doesn't mean we bury our heads in the sand and pretend nothing bad ever happens or could happen. It does mean that we don't let the negative consume or control us.

If you're going to stop being negative and it's been a habit for a long time, then you might find a sizable hole in your life. That hole will demand to be filled, so focus on the positive. I don't say this in a New Age-y sense. There are many blessings in our life that we often don't acknowledge or recognize. If we stop a minute and look around, we can see how much we have that's good in our lives.

This can be hard to believe when we're facing difficult circumstances or in the thick of a tough situation. 

In the hustle and bustle of life, we forget to make time for fun. But all work and no play makes us grumpy, boring people. Even if it's just a couple of times a month, make time to do something fun. This could be a walk, treating yourself to a coffee, creating playlists, going on a picnic, reading a book you've been wanting to check out, baking a batch of cookies ... the list is endless! The point is to take time to do what's fun for you. Include your family and/or friends sometimes too; you might find a new activity you like to do together.

I'm not trying to say we should be friends only with people with a certain status, salary, or lifestyle. But the people in our lives have a direct influence on us and we need to be careful who we let in our sphere. If you're friends with toxic, immature people then you need to re-evaluate who you're hanging out with.

While the Bible tells us to be a good friend who sticks by our friends in the tough times, that does not mean you have to stay around people that are damaging emotionally or who try to change you into something you're not meant to be. We are not required to be friends with bullies, gossips, etc. If they're willing to be mentored, that's another story. But these types of people are not good friends and it's unwise to include them in your friend group.

Evaluate your relationships. Are any of them sucking the life out of you? Are any of them toxic? If any of these people are close family, consider getting counseling, depending on the situation.

After that, find friends that will build you up, help you draw closer to God, and will be there when the times aren't so good. These are the people that will enrich your life and enable you to be a better person.

A regular quiet time with God is essential for our spiritual wellbeing. Praying, reading the Bible, praising and worshipping God - these are all things we need to satisfy our deepest desires. It doesn't matter if you have this time in the morning, evening, or afternoon, or whether it's done in one chunk of time or intermittently throughout the day. The important thing is that you spend time with God.

Humans were not built to run 24/7 without stop. We were created with weaknesses and limitations. Even though our world screams at us to be BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, we need to take time to rest from the busyness. Getting proper sleep, eating well, and taking a break are essential; it's all part of being human.

Everyone pressures us to commit to everything, especially if they're doing it. But you know what your parents always said, just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean you should do it too. Trying to do every activity, fit in what everyone else wants you to do, and taking on more than you're able to accomplish is a recipe for a snappish, grumpy you. Evaluate your commitments, cut out the ones that are no good or not the best for you, and politely tell people you just don't have the time for it. They might be upset at you for awhile, but in the end it's the best for you.

Since when are guilty pleasures okay, you might ask. Well, the Bible might not say anything about them, but Joy Marie Clarkson dives into them in her book Aggressively Happy. She argues that "guilty pleasures" are often not something to be ashamed of. Maybe your guilty pleasure is a chocolate chip cookie. Unless you're allergic to cookies, that's not a bad thing! Some of my guilty pleasures are sugary lattes, classy clothes, Christian romance novels, and country love songs. Is there anything inherently bad about these things? No (except maybe the bill that comes with a take-out coffee and clothing), and for me, they make life a little more fun.

So, as long as your guilty pleasures are not something to be truly guilty over, indulge yourself in them.

I have included this last point at the risk of sounding preachy. But God's commands are not burdensome. In 1 John 5:3 (NASB), it says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome."

Sometimes these commandments can be hard to carry out. However, God doesn't dole out these commandments just to see us work hard or be miserable. He gives them to us because He knows, unlike us, that His way of life is ultimately the best for us.

Living abundantly is possible and part of the reason Jesus came to die for us. How can you start living abundantly?