Early in 2019, I attended a seminar put on by You Are Worthy which focused on hearing from God for the New Year. During a painting exercise, we were asked to listen to His voice and see what His plans and words for the new year were – and then paint them. I heard Him quietly say, “I want you to thrive, not just survive.” 

My adult life has been filled with pain and tragedy. I realized that something I’ve been saying for many years, something that I started to adopt as my identity, contradicted this word. And quite honestly, without noticing, I was a little proud of it! “There are two times in life when I really live: when I’m playing music and when I’m on the mission field. The rest of the time, I just survive.” As the Lord spoke to my heart that day, I was torn apart.

He said to me, “I didn’t pay for you to just survive. I paid for you to live. That’s what I meant when I said I give life abundantly.”

In the midst of the chaos – it is possible to THRIVE.

In the midst of grief, it is possible to THRIVE.

In the dark – we can THRIVE!

And this means every single day.

But how do we do this?

When Jesus exchanged His life for ours that day on the cross – dying, defeating death, and rising again to new life, we got that NEW LIFE as He took our old one. He said, “I came that you might have life…and more abundantly.” (John 10:10) This new life we live is our new identity, the old one no longer exists. 

“Thrive” means to grow vigorously.

To flourish. 

Imagine truly flourishing and not faltering in the midst of a tragedy. Is this even thinkable? Can we thrive and grieve at the same time?

What would it look like to grow vigorously when there is pain in your relationships? When the circumstances around you just seem to get worse and worse?

In 2 Corinthians 4:8,9 Paul says: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.” 

Can you relate? I am sure there are things in your world pressing you, perplexing you, making you feel hunted. Why are you not crushed and driven to despair? 

Because you are never abandoned by God. 

He is not just watching you go through difficult things. He is not hoping you will figure out how to survive and come through still breathing. 

Deuteronomy 1:30: “The Lord your God who goes before you will Himself fight on your behalf…”.

Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord is the One who goes ahead for you; He will be with you and will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  

Psalm 139:5: “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.” 

If He has already been in your tomorrow, then the things you are going through today are not a surprise to Him. He goes before you, fights for you, and gives you His life to live … this is how to thrive even in the darkest hours. 

Let’s straighten our crowns, Princesses! Remember who you are, and that life and more life has already been paid for you.

Receive it. 

Step into it. 

Wear it. 

Hold your head high. 

He paid for you to THRIVE.