Living an Abundant Life

Do you long to live the abundant life Jesus talks about?  How do you create an environment that allows you to live with maximum impact and spiritual fruit?

Abiding + Adjusting + Pruning = Abundance

The Abiding Life: Jesus said in John 15:16 “… I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit… fruit that will last.”  To be a fruit bearer requires time connected to the vine.  New branches don’t immediately bear fruit.  They must be cared for and nurtured.  New branches tend to trail along the ground. When it rains the young branches get muddy and mildewed, sick and barren.  The vine dresser lifts the branch out of the mud, washes it off, wraps and ties it securely to the trellis.  Soon the branch is thriving and ready to bear fruit. How wonderful the Lord doesn’t leave us in the muck and mire of this world, but lifts us up, washes us clean, and provides the support needed to flourish and bear fruit.*

In John 15:5 Jesus also said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” To live an abundant life means I must remain connected to Christ.  Our choice is abundance through abiding in Him.

The Adjusted Life: The second factor in the formula is about balance. Remember watching a circus performer precariously balancing on a tight rope?  Often my life feels like that performer as I try to balance all the priorities of life and ministry.  Every day requires adjustments.  That means moving the most important things to the top of my “To Do” list, and at times, creating a “Not To Do” list. Here are a few suggestions:

• Not to feel guilty for saying “no” to something that may be good, but not right for you.
• Not to feel over-responsible for everybody else’s well-being.
• Not to answer the phone after a certain time each night.
• Not to schedule busy activities on Sundays and family days.
• Not to ruminate over your own or other people’s mistakes.
• Not to compare yourself to others.

As you look at your “To Do” List today… what will you be delete, diminish, delegate or do? What would you put on your “Not to Do List” today?

The Pruned Life: A Pruned Life: John 15:2 tells us that “every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”  He prunes to remove what is dead or dying, making sure sunlight gets to the fruit-bearing branches.  He prunes to increase the size and quality of the fruit, and finally, He prunes to encourage new grapes to develop.  To make room for the abundance fruit-bearing in our lives, He will cut away the things that drain precious time and energy providing room for what is truly important to Him, At times we will not understand His methods, but we can trust His intentions. If you are now in the pruning season… pay attention! Don’t waste this season of preparation.  Ask God whether you’re being pruned for greater fruitfulness or disciplined because of sin.  If your response to the pruning process is right, you’ll begin to move from barrenness to blessing

An Abundant Life: John 10:10 reads, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”  Things will arise each day to keep you from spending quality time with the Lord.  Allow the power that flows from the Lord to flow through you and nothing will keep you from reaching the abundant life Jesus promised.

What are you doing today to ensure that you are abiding, adjusting and allowing the Lord to prune what is needed for a full and abundant life?  What do you need to delete, diminish, delegate or do?

I pray that you will live an abundant life… adjusted, abiding, and pruned.

by Colleen Nordlund

Colleen Nordlund serves as Executive Director of Touchpoints Ministry in Seattle, dedicated to helping women reach their full potential as unique members of the Body of Christ.  She can be reached at www.touchpointsministry.org.