BY LUIS PALAU

We live in a broken world.  Yet, in the midst of it, Jesus came to give us life in abundance.  So what does that abundant life look like for us on a daily basis?

Let’s face it: all too often our lives are not what we hoped they would be.

The grass is never green enough. The sky is never blue enough. The vacation is never sweet enough, long enough, or relaxing enough. The money never goes far enough. The relationships never satisfy. The expectations never pan out. And the plans never turn out the way we expected.

Regardless of what we believe, we all seem to be struggling with the same not-quite-what-I-signed-up-for reality. Yet that doesn’t have to be our story. No matter what you’re struggling with, what illusions you have grabbed onto, there is hope. I know it! I’ve experienced it.

As we all dig through some of life’s most difficult questions and circumstances – especially now during the coronavirus pandemic – I want to encourage you to think long and hard about the promises of God in Scripture.  The Bible has a lot to say about you. Not just about you as a person, but you specifically—you personally.

In fact, much of the Bible is devoted to telling you who you really are. It would do us all a lot of good to take some time each day and think on these powerful truths:

• You were made in God’s image. (Genesis 1:26-27)

• You are loved by your creator. (John 16:27)

• God wants what is best for you. (Jeremiah 29:11)

• You have the opportunity to be free from pain. (Matthew 11:28)

• God forgives every sin, if you confess it from your heart. (1 John 1:9)

• God wants an authentic relationship with you. (John 3:16)   

I could go on and on, but these few examples give you a taste. God’s promises are actually quite staggering. And should we choose to believe what He has to say in Scripture, we might just find our hope renewed, our faith strengthened, and our love for the Lord far deeper than we ever imagined possible.