“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10
I came to the realization a few years ago I will most likely never be the best at anything. I love being on my snowboard and cranking up hills on my bike, but I also know I will never ride in the Tour de France or compete in the Olympics. John 10:10 always reminds me who God is and what he wants for my life. The times I get bummed about not landing a new trick or getting dropped on a group ride I feel satan (intentionally lowercase; that guy doesn’t deserve any capital letters!) trying to steal my joy. Stealing, killing, and destroying are his goals. That’s not a guy with whom I’d want to spend my time. I need to remember my failures don’t matter to God. God wants to give me a “rich and satisfying life,” which sounds way better than the other option!
Jesus is the good guy; satan is the bad guy. Jesus offers life while satan tries everything to take it away. Jesus always leads to a “rich and satisfying life!”
There is nothing wrong to strive to become better at what we do. Bigger tricks, promotions at work, and other times we “win” at life are all good things. However, we can’t let them be the source of our joy and satisfaction. Those can only come from Jesus. I know too many “successful” people who have had life stolen from them or destroyed. Choose Jesus. Success fueled by anything besides Jesus leaves us unsatisfied. Jesus is the only way we will ever experience a “rich and satisfying life.”
Challenge
- What in life are you pursuing greatness AND how is it impacting the way you see God?
- Are you willing to trust God to give you a “rich and satisfying life” even if it looks differently than what YOU want?
- Are you using your God-given gifts as a tool to share Jesus’ love with others? How can you use it to impact more people or impact people more powerfully?
By Ben Palsha | Twinsburg, OH