If your goal is to live a free (as in “freedom”) life, then you must understand how having an attitude of abundance effects how “free” you really are. Having this attitude enables you to adapt to major life changes more easily, to let go of the desire to get more “stuff,” and to have a deep appreciation for everything good that is happening in your life. Being in a state of abundance will help you to live a better life, and to feel good about your accomplishments.
The first way that a mindset of abundance effects you is by enabling you to adapt to major life changes more easily. All of us go through changes, and some changes are more dramatic than others. Getting a new job, moving to a new home, or developing a new friendship can all be major changes that require us to adapt. In these situations, having an attitude of abundance means that you know there are plenty of opportunities, more than enough grace from your Father God, and a wealth of wisdom available through the Word of God. Having that level of confidence can really make you enthusiastic about working through major changes, instead of dreading them.
Having an attitude of abundance also helps us let go of possessions and thought pattens that are no longer necessary. Think about this: lack makes us want more, abundance makes us want less. It seems counterintuitive until you think about how merchandise is sold many times. “Limited time offer,” “Only while supplies last,” and “Closeout sale,” are all ideas used in sales to get customers to want to buy right away. It plays on our desire to not be in lack.
But when we know that a particular offer (such as a discount) will never expire, we tend to feel less urgency about owning that product, and many times we just never get around to buying it. That’s kind of how the attitude of abundance makes us operate. When we know that God has great plans for us, and there are so many opportunities in our future, we tend to move forward with enthusiasm and eagerness, instead of with urgency. Urgency can make us feel stressed; enthusiasm and eagerness makes us feel happy!
And finally, having an attitude of abundance usually causes us to become deeply grateful for the good things that Yahweh is doing in our lives. It is only when we are distressed about difficulties we are facing that we become dissatisfied and many times ungrateful for what Yahweh has already done to help us get to where we are now. But as we begin to recognize the kindness and mercy he has shown us in the past, we realize how much we are loved by our Father. As a result, our mindset shifts from being ungrateful and distressed to being filled with joy and abundance.
There is more than enough wisdom, more than enough of Yahweh’s favor, and more than enough of Yahweh’s blessings to help us be enthusiastic about Yahweh’s work in our lives. Choosing to adopt that attitude of abundance will help you enjoy changes as they come, to be content with what you have, and to be grateful for what Yahweh is doing in your life. If you shift your thinking to this abundant mindset, you will see a dramatic improvement in your perspective of yourself, of other people, and of your life in general.
Enjoy life, and watch Yahweh work,
Jonathan Hostetler