In John 10:10, Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
It's easy to settle for a less-than-full life, whether by assuming that relationships will end in disappointment, or that God doesn't really answer prayer, or that human beings can't really change their ways. But I return to Jesus' promise, and I once again believe that full life is possible, if only with him.
I think about all the ways I want my life to change–that I want more self-control and I want to be a better listener and I want to have patience with our kids and I want to become more gracious with other people . . . And I'm reminded of what Paul calls the "fruit" of the Spirit. He writes, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." I can try to muster up these virtues on my own, or I can get to know Jesus. And if I get to know Jesus, then Jesus' Spirit lives in me, and these virtues become, naturally, more and more who I am. They grow in me, like fruit on a vine.
I also think about all the ways I want my life to stay the same–that I want to continue to experience the joy of Marilee giggling and William dancing and Penny reading me a story and I want to keep falling in love with my husband and I want to write other books and I want to know the love and sweetness of God . . . And again I'm struck by Jesus' words, that he wants those things for me as well.
He wants to take the dissatisfying aspects of my life and transform them, not by my hard work but by his faithful presence at work within me. And he wants to take the satisfying aspects of my life and enhance them, refine them that they might be more and more fulfilling to me, that I might become more and more gracious and loving towards others.
