Don't Survive; Live!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10, KJV

 

survive:  To continue existing, in spite of danger or hardship.  (www.freeonline.com/survive)

live:  To remain alive.  To have an exciting or fulfilling life.  (www.freeonline.com/live)

 

"I don't want to survive; I want to live".  When I heard this statement as I was watching "Twelve Years of Slavery", my focus on the movie completely dissipated.  In my mind, I kept hearing that statement over and over.

This powerful statement resonated with my spirit so much because it voiced exactly what I have now chosen to do; live!  One of my most devastating, life-changing events occurred seven years ago.  I lost my dearest friend, my mother.  Though there may be words in the vocabulary to describe my feelings of this significant loss, the words will never adequately convey the magnitude of what I truly felt.  For seven years, I survived.  For seven years, I gasped for air to maintain my existence.  Finally, the pain of holding on to the things I had latched onto to "help" me to "survive", became more than the pain of letting go.  I cried out to God that I was finally ready to live once again!  As soon as I let go, He reached down and began pulling me up.

As God continues to pull me up, my heart opens more and more to the beauty of life.  I now thirst for water only He can supply.  I'm beginning to use each day as another opportunity to plant seeds of goodness.  My passion that had died out has been reignited.  My heart is being purged and my mind is being renewed.  I am breathing and no longer, gasping!

Whatever you may be going through that may be causing you to only survive, please know you don't have to settle.  There is hope and you can begin living.  God's Word, John 10:10 tells us that Christ came so that we could have life and more abundantly.  That means that we do not to have to be content with just surviving.  You can make a choice today that you will no longer just survive, you will live!