Busy vs. Abundant

By Stacy LaMorte

I love to read and listen to books about positivity and self-growth because they make me feel good and give me the hope of how to have a happy outlook even during those times that aren’t going so well. (And to be honest, they are easy to pick up and put down when you only have a few minutes to read before you, literally, can’t keep your eyes open any longer at night!)

I can’t remember which book I was reading now, but it talked about the concept of using the word “abundant” instead of “busy” when you describe your day, or your life for that matter.

Let’s look at those two words.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “busy” as 1. “Actively engaged in some form of work; occupied.” 2. “Crowded with activity.” 3. “Cluttered with detail to the point of being distracting: a busy design.”  That same dictionary defines “abundant” as 1. “In plentiful supply; ample.” 2. “Abounding with; rich.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but the latter paints a more accurate picture of what I would like my life to look like.  In John 10:10, we hear that “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Jesus knows that we all have a lot of tasks to perform every day; he wants our lives to be full.  Let’s make sure, though, that we remember why and for whom our lives are so abundant!

By serving our families with joy, we are serving God. By helping our spouses, children, neighbors, customers, clients, patients, co-workers and strangers, we encounter every day we are serving God.

With the right frame of mind and purpose, all of our actions can be a form of prayer of Thanksgiving to God for our abundant lives.

So next time someone asks you, “How’s life?” Try saying, “It has been very abundant!” and see if it doesn’t start to change your perspective on things!