Abundant Strife

Most of us have heard the expression "Abundant Life". For those of us who are Christian, we are taught that abundant life is something that Jesus longs for us to attain. But as I look around lately all I can see is "Abundant Strife". My husband and I have known for a couple of years that we were in a "pruning season", a time in your life where God cuts away damaged, unfruitful, or sometimes overly productive growth in order to focus growth in more mature , sustainable, stronger branches. In other words, he's shaping us in ways that He feels we need to be in order to further His Kingdom. At first, we would acknowledge the "shaping" by jokingly referring to "being pruned", or sometimes when something unpleasant or unwanted would occur we would lightheartedly look at each other and say "snip snip". But gradually the gentle sound of pruning shears began to give way to the soul wrenching sound of an industrial chain saw. Bad things that always "come in threes" continually showed up in multiples much larger and frightening than the joked about triplicate and I began to ask myself (and everyone around me who would listen) "Is this ever going to get any better?" I must admit that I've never considered myself particularly faithful, more like a "Doubting Thomas". Not that I've ever doubted my salvation, but I am not a very good abider. In fact most of my favorite "reminder" scriptures revolve around a similar theme, that being trust, abide, and "being still". None of which are my strong suits, or so I thought. Yet as I watch with wonder my daughter who, dutifully, *faithfully* runs out in the backyard daily to check the growth of her watermelon plants,taking joy not only in success, but in the process, I realize that my difficulty lies not in my ability to *measure* abundance, but rather in how I define it. We were never given any promises of ease, or endless happiness in this life, but Christ did promise us that He would never leave us and, that at the end of it all, we would go to live with Him. He had abundant life because He understood that contentment was not just about getting what we want, but in gaining perspective and the ability to truly appreciate what we already have. Sometimes living life, every day, both the good and the bad is the greatest measure of faith.