Weekly Word Wednesday: Amazing Abundance

by Chronically Creative - Wednesday, June 08, 2011

When you live with chronic pain and illness you may feel as though you are far from living an abundant life. There's medical bills, financial hardship, loss, emotional pain and often relationships are strained. Chronic illness impacts on every area of your life in unimaginable ways and most days you probably feel as though you're lacking in every area... health, finance, energy, self esteem... and the list goes on. After all, your quality of life has drastically decreased.

I know there are days where all I focus on is my lack; be it lack of support, lack of compassion, a lack of friends, or a lack of understanding doctors... the only thing abounding in my life seems to be pain and pills, and that sure isn't what I consider to be a life of abundance.

Over the last few weeks in my devotional time, I've been reflecting on abundance... what does it mean to live abundantly? Is it even possible to live a life of abundance despite chronic illness? Of course! As Christians and children of God we are entitled to an amazing abundance, it's our inheritance! According to Ephesians 3:20- {We serve a big God} who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Isn't that amazing? So, how do we live abundantly in the midst of chronic illness, suffering and trials?

Ask for it. It's so easy to complain about our lack that we forget to simply stop and ask God for what we need. I'm learning to ask for the strength, grace and peace that I need to get through each day instead of focusing on how exhausted I feel or dwelling on how much the pain prevents me from doing what I want to do.

Sow into the Kingdom. Invest your finances in His Kingdom's cause and watch Him bless you abundantly. Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the flood gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it." If you honestly can't afford to give in church offerings, there are plenty of other ways to sow into the kingdom. You can reach out and encourage someone else. You can invest your time to bless someone, for example, bake someone some cupcakes or write a helpful article that will benefit someone else and post it on your blog. Have a think about ways that you can sow into the Kingdom while respecting your health.

Be generous. God has given to you so that you can bless someone else. Earlier this year, I had to pay my car registration. I had more than enough money to cover it but when I went to pay it, I found out that it was $200 cheaper than what I was expecting because of my disability claim! I thought, great, extra money to go buy some clothes... but that's when God stopped me in my tracks. He didn't give me that extra money for clothes, he gave it to me so that I can bless someone else through the Random Acts Of Blogging Kindness project that we started this year. 2 Corinthians 8:2 acknowledges "For in the midst of an ordeal of severe tribulation, their abundance of joy and their depth of poverty have overflowed in wealth of generosity on their part."

Give thanks. So often I think we as Christians are so busy looking for the big blessings and miracles in life that we completely miss the small ones. Blessings come in all shapes and sizes and this is important to acknowledge. For me, I see God's abundant provision in the small things like getting items on sale or being bulk-billed at the doctors. It's not just in the material things either, God bestows His grace and favour to help me get through the tough days. In order to live abundantly, you must have an attitude of gratitude, no matter what your circumstance.

Believe for it. Our God is the God who provides. Believe for God's favour, prosperity and provision in your life. I've been believing for finance to fund my craft and cupcake business and boy do I really feel tested on this right now. The majority of my savings that I had to help get my craft studio set up now have to be spent on my surgery next week. I'm not looking forward to seeing my savings blown but this is where I really have to trust and believe that God will make away and provide for me.

Trust God for it. Trust that God knows exactly what you need and know that He will meet it. Before I was blessed with disability pension, I had little and sometimes no income. I really had to trust that somehow God would meet my financial needs. I had to learn to be patient and content and it took a few years but God came through with the goods. My disability claim has been accepted, and I now have a beautiful car, a licence and I have money in the bank to pay for my own medical bills and enjoy life to the best that I can in this difficult circumstance. We serve an awesome God and it's important to acknowledge His goodness and grace despite our difficulties.

Seek it out. Sometimes God's abundance and blessing comes in disguise. Sometimes you have to do a little searching to find it. I'm learning to search for God in the face of pain. Yes, chronic illness, pain and loss sucks big time, but I'm learning to see it as a blessing in disguise. I have the opportunity to learn things that most people will probably never get to learn in their lifetime. I'm blessed with time to be still and seek God... most people get distracted by the busyness of life that they forget the importance of getting to know their creator or they are blind to their blessings.

Don't get in the way. It's so easy to get caught up in making plans for our lives and be consumed by what we want that we can forget to let God be God and let His will be done in our lives. Before I became ill, I had my whole life planned out and I was so naive to believe that it would pan out exactly the way I planned. In hindsight, I now clearly see that God has other plans for my life- plans that are much bigger and better than my own. Don't block out God's plans for your life and stop getting in the way of your inheritance. He knows what is best for you. Psalm 84:11 declares that "The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows grace and favour and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly".

(image via weheartit.com)

Know that God is the God of overflow. His blessings are like a continuous waterfall, my cup overflows continually. John 1:16 states "For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favour upon favour and gift upon gift." So grab your cup, jump in the waterfall and watch your cup fill to overflowing. You are blessed beyond belief!

Claim it. Stand on God's word and actively claim your blessing. Constantly speak it out. Every morning when I wake up I like to say Today I am covered in God's protection and I am blessed and highly favoured. Psalm 16:5-6 says "Lord, you have assigned to me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Claim you inheritance. As a child of God, it's rightfully yours.

You are blessed and highly favoured. Ask for it. Believe for it. Trust God for it. Seek it. Go get your inheritance and CLAIM YOUR POWER!!

Article written by Emily Ruth