WHAT IS BIBLCAL GOOD MENTAL HEALTH BEING JOYFUL THROUGH ABUNDANT LIVING PART 3

Jesus said “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly”. Abundant living is having a meaningful and purposeful life. It is not about building wealth that can bring happiness but cannot produce joy. Having a meaningful life means impacting other people’s lives. It is about building relationships. It is caring for people. Purpose means you have your priorities right and know what you want to accomplish with your life. This is abundant living.

We can start by having the right perspective on life. Are we just a speck in a vast universe measured in light-years and a mere instant in eons of time? Are we no more than a temporary state of consciousness, a stream of hormones, and a blip of energy having a future limited to no more than passing on our genes? Or are we, as the Bible says, the special creation of a personal God? Does what we do on this planet have meaning and significance which carries eternal consequences?

In order to live life well we need to have a perspective or an overview as a context for decision-making. It is how we keep life in focus. That is best captured as a worldview. This means we have to have a firm fix on the world as it really is and an understanding of how things work.

Before you can have a meaningful impact on others there are prerequisites. A meaningful life starts with you. Do you have a positive joyful attitude toward life and are you continuously growing intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Do you enjoy new experiences or meeting new people? Are you a productive person whose life is in good order and do you have your priorities right? These are things you want to model as you influence people, care for their needs and share your Spiritual journey. You need to have your life in good order so you have the time and energy to invest in them.

If building relationships is the means for a meaningful life, how do we do it? Think of relationships as a target with a bull’s-eye in the center and a series of concentric circles. The bull’s-eye is where you have the closest relationships with the outer circle being people you do not even know, which is most of the people in the world. The other rings in between are various degrees of closeness.

The bull’s-eye is where you have the closeness of relationships or intimacy and the most influence. - God, spouse, children, grandparents, parents, and possibly some friends. The next ring is people that are close enough to you that you know what is going on in their lives. – close friends and relatives, and members of your small group. The next ring is people you know but not well enough to know what is going on in their lives. – Neighbors, co-workers, members of your church or just acquaintances. The final ring is people you do not know. – The 7 billion people in the world.

The challenge for a meaningful life of joy is to move people closer and closer, ring by ring over your life time. God’s direction and timing are critical. The closer people are to you the more impact  you can have on them and the more impact they can have on you. Learning from others can enrich your life and make it even more enjoyable.