Being expectant of an abundant life

“We weren’t expecting it”. I typed those words in my answer to the question purposefully yet subtly. Because I hoped they would encourage someone. And I know they did at least one person. Maybe no one else noticed them tucked in there. So in case you didn’t- let me explain what I’ve learned about the expectation of abundant living.

I was answering questions about our recent vacation and people were asking things like “did your kids get sick and how did you handle it if so?” Or “how did you handle kids ears hurting on the airplane? I’m worried about that”. And although totally valid questions, I realized there was a common theme in these questions and it was this: there was an expectation for these less than desirable things to happen INSTEAD OF an expectation of them not happening.

And I want to challenge that type of thinking for myself and also for you!

It’s easy to become accustomed to expecting doom. Our culture does it automatically for us with dumb sayings. For example: two bad things might happen back-to-back and someone says something like “well bad things happen in three’s so just wait”. And they do just that. They sit and wait and look for something to happen. Or another example: life is going great for someone and so they casually mention “things have been going great so I’m sure something bad is bound to happen soon.”

And I just gotta say it: this is a wrong mentality to have and does no one any good. This type of thinking is not how God intended for us to live- in expectation of doom, gloom and bad things happening. No! God intended for us to live in expectation of abundant living. Yes, abundant. We see it in John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is steal, kill, and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life”. Some people are a bit scared of that word, as if they aren’t worthy of it. Or they think it’s only a prosperity gospel message. And it can be when you relate it to only finances. But that’s not what I’m getting at or what I’m relating it to. It can mean so much more!

I’m talking about abundance of joy in your heart. Abundance of love in your marriage. Abundance of communication with your children. Abundance of health in your family. Abundance of grace for others. Abundance of generosity in your life!

Tough things may happen, YES. But guess what? We can still expect abundance in the middle of it! You know what the enemy (the devil) hates? You. Yes you. He also hates you thriving. He hates you living abundantly. He thrives when we suffer and struggle and stumble through it. He thrives when we expect doom.

What happens when we tune our minds to heaven and expect good things from a good Father who loves us? We find even when tough times do come, we know who has already gone before us and is carrying us through. Mindset matters. Not in an ignorant way, but in a way that rejects the doom and gloom narrative of the world and brings the hopeful and expectant narrative of heaven down to earth. This world is not our ultimate end all.

So let’s live with an expectation of hope and abundance in all areas of our lives. The God of hope and all good things is just waiting to be invited in and apart of all we do! So why not start today?

Lord, thank you that because you love me and live in my heart- I can expect better things than this world has to offer. Thank you for helping me live in abundance in how I love others well and live with genuine joy! Help me each day to choose a heavenly outlook for my life and even on the hard days Lord, let me choose to look up to you instead of down. Thank you for walking with me! In Jesus name, AMEN!

xo, Sarah