Leaving something life-sustaining to pursue something life-giving is hard because we tend to look at life from the lens of “I need plenty to survive”. Many times because this plenty is materialistic, it agrieves us. It burdens our soul, snatching the very life we are trying so hard to sustain. This plenty is in no way life-giving as it brings bouts of temporal joy and short-lived ease.
In pursuing life-giving endeavours, we have to allow ourselves to be guided and led. Our intuition always leads us onto a path we should go but because the life-sustaining plenty is characterised by attractive noise, we are unable to hear and be able to heed the call. Life giving endeavours require us to stretch. They stretch our faith, challenge our core beliefs about ourselves, and the world, and require us to step out from the shadows, from the darkness, into the light. All of this may bring about discomfort and can feel scary.
In contrast, life-sustaining endeavours are familial, and comfortable, making it easier and effortless to go right back into. How many times have you heard people (or yourself) say “better the devil I know”, when afraid to do something different? I know I’ve said this a couple of times when I was challenged to do something out of the ordinary. I even went further to affirm my sentiments with “what if” tales. What if it doesn’t work out? What if nobody wants what I have to offer? What if I can’t pay my dues on time? What if I can’t sustain my lifestyle? If I were to capture and relive all the “what if” stories I’ve told myself over the years and believed, I’d never stop.
The fear we walk in and have befriended never lets us make space for positive, life-giving “what if” stories. What if it works out? What if I succeed? What if I will thrive and unlock my greatest potential? The irony in all this is that, this fear which bars us from pursuing life-giving endeavours taunts us all the same, as the regret of not having given it a go.
So what are we afraid of exactly? If we are afraid to fail in as much as we regret not giving it a go, why not just go for it and see what happens? Let’s bet on ourselves today. That thing you’ve wanted to do for years, today might be the opportune day to explore how to get it done. That friend or family member you’ve been meaning to resolve conflict with, reach out to them. That business you’ve wanted to start, get cracking on it. That sport or skill you’ve wanted to learn, now is the time.
To live life by design, we have to be willing to learn and change. We need to learn how to recognize the need to change and adapt to it. If you don’t adapt to the change required, you will not grow or reach your full potential (i.e. living life purposefully as God created you to). You will always feel stuck and witness a repetitive, unprogressive cycle in your life.
Life by design, encompasses long-lasting bursts of life-giving moments through the activities we engross ourselves in. Where life-sustaining endeavours are characterised by mere survival, life-giving ones allow us to thrive bountifully.
A note to myself and to you: choose wisely in the way you want to go 🌱.
Now, won't you choose yourself today and live a lot more?
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