Jesus said He came to give us “life and life to the full,” and through intentionality and practice, it’s time that we start discovering what that means.
8 Ways To Live Life To The Full
Krista Hengesh
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10
Do you believe this to be true? Do you believe that Jesus came, separated Himself from God, in order to live like we do on earth, and die on the cross for our sins SO THAT we can have life to the full? When I hear that, I think, “That is a pretty big statement you are making Jesus, are you being serious?” And over these past few months the more I have been digging into His Word and relying upon His strength to get me through life, what He said really is true.
When you give your life to the Lord and practice actively following Him, you start to discover what this “life to the full” looks like.
2016 could have been a year filled with memories and experiences that you want to relive over and over again, where joy was obvious and God’s provisions were easily seen, or it could have been a year filled with hardships, tough love, pain and a lot of sadness. Life is hard, and learning how to navigate all that is thrown at us is a continual process. Through the good and the bad and everything in between, we must learn how to turn to the Lord first and rely upon him, because that is when we will experience “life and life to the full.”
Whatever season you find yourself going into 2017 these “8 ways to live life to the full,” will mold your perspective on life and how to live each day. Each and every one of these is rooted in scripture and truth and has the power to transform your life. I encourage you to memorize the verses and look them up in your own Bible for more context.
Let’s make 2017 a year where we look back and remember having God in the driver’s seat the whole time.
1. Live Salted
Live the life that you are called to, not the one your friend is called to that you wish was your own. Christ uniquely apportioned His grace to you, and it is now our calling to salt ourselves and enhance what we have been given. The comparison game is not fun, and you will always lose, so live the life YOU were called to live, and impact and change the world in YOUR own unique way.
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” – Ephesians 4:7
2. Live Adventurously Expectant
Each and every day is an opportunity to see God move, and the first step to this is being aware. We need to reframe our minds to be expectant of the Lord’s work and approach each day with “a childlike ‘What’s next, Papa?” Come to His feet eager to discover His plans for your life from the big details to the small ones, He is within them all.
This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” – Romans 8:15 MSG
3. Live Eternally Minded
This life we are given truly is nothing but a vapor in time when looking at eternity. These 60+ years do not measure up to the history of our world, or it’s infinite future. We need to treat each and every day as a gift and live eternally minded in order to make the most of the time we have.
“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” – James 4:14
4. Live Vertically
Live knowing your identity and worth is found in Christ and Christ alone. Look up (vertically) for your value and purpose, not to your left or right. Do not let your mind be consumed by things of this world, but rather focus on the things that have weight in God’s kingdom. When you start truly living for the Lord, that is when you start to discover this “life to the full.”
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” – Colossians 3:1-4
5. Live In Unity
When you say “yes” to the Lord, you say “yes” to being adopted into a family of believers that stretch across the world. All of us Christians are part of one body, one family, one unit. The people to your left and to your right are not enemies or the competition or people that you want to one-up or outdo, they are your sisters and brothers in Christ who we are called to lift up and encourage in faith. We are all heirs to the Lord’s kingdom, so let’s work together and build each other up every day to be more like Jesus.
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” – Galatians 3:26-29
6. Live With An Abundance Mentality
The Lord will provide for your every need when you are attached to the vine and abiding in Him. You do not need to live out of the scarcity mentality thinking that you won’t have enough, you won’t succeed if your neighbor does, or scared that you will not have enough money to pay rent or eat. If you are living responsible, and are actively putting your trust in the Lord. He will “meet all your needs.”
“God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
7. Live To Bring God Glory
When you live to bring God glory, everything changes. You find this new well of energy and enthusiasm as you know you are doing it for the Lord and for a purpose much greater than yourself. We must humble ourselves and work to fight against the rising feeling of pride, remembering you are who you are and you are able to do what you do because of the Lord, so all of the glory is His.
“For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” – Romans 11:36
8. Live Filled With Inexpressible Joy
Joy can be found in every situation, but it is very easy to get into the swing of just doing doing doing, even when it is something that you absolutely LOVE to do, and forget to see the joy behind it. This joy is not circumstantial, but rather a deep-rooted, inexpressible, unexplainable joy that comes from knowing that you forever will be in heaven, and the Creator of the universe loves you.
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” – 1 Peter 1:8-9
The Lord is eager to move in your life this year. He is eager to show up in unexpected ways. He is eager to have you live for Him in ALL that you do. Be encouraged ladies, you are not alone in your walk with Jesus, you have us and a Heavenly Father who will never leave you. We are called to live lives that go against culture and walk a walk that goes upstream. Keep the faith, remain strong against the devil’s schemes, actively practice the above concepts and you will start to discover the truth behind Jesus’s bold statement: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
I love you ladies- let’s make this year one to be remembered for our obedience and reliance upon Jesus. One filled with adventure, and joy, and comfort knowing that whatever situation or season we find ourselves in, God will be there with us.
Krista Hengesh is the founder and executive director of Live Salted. She started it back in 2016 and has been chasing after the Lord with this calling on her life since then. She is currently living in Seattle, Washington and loves to be outside and active whenever possible. She is deeply passionate about bringing people together and helping them recognize the potential and influence inside of them!
