Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thriving

I'm about to get all religious up in here (but not really*)   :)

I'm certainly someone who is not outwardly religious - and by that I mean, it's something that's personal, and internal, for me.  Not that that means I don't like people who are outward with it - it's just a personal thing with me.  So, that being said, it takes a lot for me to feel the need to blog about something like this.
I like religious messages that can be translated to real life situations... not just abstract, theoretical stuff.  Tony likes Joel Osteen for that reason, and gets his little email motivational thing for the day.  He passes them on to me when he wants to tell me what to do encourage me.
Here's one that really resonated with me:
Many people today are living in "survival mode." If they can just make it through the day, they've accomplished their goal. And, there are times when circumstances can seem overwhelming. There are seasons that are more difficult than others. But God doesn't want us to just survive, He wants us to thrive. He wants us to prosper in all things.
One definition of the word "thrive" means "to realize a goal despite circumstances." That means you can prosper in all things no matter what is going on around you. You don't have to settle for an average year; you can have an extraordinary year. You may be planning on just getting by, but God is planning on abundance. He's planning on overflow. It's time to get into agreement with God. It's time to walk in His ways. It's time see your dreams come to pass. It's time to thrive because God has a plan for you to prosper in every area of your life!

I can't say the part about living through a rough time in life is really applicable to me - we have a great life and have been super, super lucky in all areas of it.  But I do often struggle with this exact issue - surviving vs thriving.  I've hinted at it on here before.  I hate feeling like I count down the hours til the work day is over, then count down the (90) minutes til I'm home, then count down the days til the weekend.  By the end of all that, I'm left feeling like I'm wishing away my days towards some lofty, idealistic end that, in reality, isn't going to be there. 
The point is, it's not that I'm living in some tragic situation that I can't escape from.  Instead, I'm not making the active choice to thrive.  I choose to sit on the couch when I get home.  I choose to let the long drive get me down.  I (I!) am the one responsible for making this choice.  Life may not be 100% unicorns and rainbows, but that doesn't mean you can let it get you down sometimes.  You can choose to let life pass you by while you are surviving, or you can embrace it fully, be happy with what you do have, and thrive.
I'm working on it.

*see, told ya.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing this today. Something I really need to read. I find myself doing the same thing - wishing for the weekend. It's a total mindset thing that everyone has control over. Hope it gets better for you!

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  2. You've got it right hun! Just cling to this train of thought and before you know it, you'll be thriving. It is an active change!

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