You get more out of life by wanting the right kind of more. Most of us chase more money, opportunities, recognition and energy, yet those things never fully satisfy. Jesus offers a fuller life marked by meaning, an open and generous heart, deep relationships and excellence that honors God. When we ask God for those things, he can do far more than we imagine.
The More We Usually Chase
Almost everyone wants more out of life. The question is what we mean by “more.” For many of us, it means more money in the bank, more opportunities to get ahead, more recognition from the people around us, or simply more energy to keep up with everything on our plate. None of those things are wrong in themselves, but they make terrible masters.
Thousands of years ago, one of the wisest people who ever lived noticed how the pursuit of more tends to backfire.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.
That is the trap of chasing the wrong kind of more. The finish line keeps moving. A raise, a promotion or a bigger following feels great for a while, and then we start wanting the next thing. If we are honest, many of us have discovered that having more stuff has not made us more content.
The Fuller Life Jesus Offers
Jesus did not come to make our lives smaller. He came to give us the very thing our hearts are actually longing for. In contrast to everything that steals from us, he offers a life that is truly full.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
That full life starts with meaning. When we know Jesus, we discover that we were made by God and for God, and that our lives are part of his bigger story. It also overflows into relationships. God designed us to love him and to love people, and some of the richest moments in life come from friendships, family and community centered on him. Real life starts with a relationship with Jesus. If you’d like to learn more about putting your faith in Jesus, check out How can I become a Christian?
An Open Heart and a Life of Excellence
The fuller life Jesus gives also changes how we live. Instead of clutching what we have, we become open-hearted and generous with our time, money and attention. And instead of doing the bare minimum, we start doing our work and our relationships with excellence, as an act of worship. Paul put those two ideas together when he wrote to the church in Corinth.
2 Corinthians 8:7 But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
Generosity and excellence are not burdens. They are some of the clearest signs of a satisfied heart. People who know they already have everything they need in Christ are free to give, serve and work hard without needing applause in return.
Ask God for the Right Things
So how do we get this kind of more? We start by asking God for it. It is fine to bring God our practical needs, but our deepest prayers should be for the things that last, like a closer walk with him, a more generous heart, healthier relationships and the strength to live with excellence. God loves to answer those prayers in ways that go beyond what we expect.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The God who can do immeasurably more is not stingy. He simply wants to give us the kind of more that will actually satisfy, and he gets the glory when we find our fullness in him.
The Takeaway
Want to get more out of life? Stop chasing more stuff and start pursuing the full life Jesus offers: meaning, an open heart, deep relationships and excellence. Ask God for the right things, and trust him to do more than you imagine.
