It is possible to live a satisfying life …

I’m very passionate about the work I do combining being a minister, a Christian clinical therapist, and a certified Fitness Professional. That’s because I’m very sure of the fact that every person I work with can have a rich and satisfying life!

I don’t just believe this, I know it, and not just because I’ve seen it happen over and over again in thousands of lives, but because this was part of Jesus’ purpose for coming to the world He created …

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” – John 10:10.

Jesus wants to give us a great life, but in order to have the kind of life He intends for us, it must be lived on His terms, not ours.

That’s the problem.

From the very beginning — and I do mean from the Garden of Eden with the very first man and woman — we have chosen to pursue life on our own terms rather than obeying God and living by His terms. You cannot experience the life God intends for you by living however you want; choosing your own way will mean experiencing all the consequences of rebelling against God to do your own thing.

That causes problems we do not have to experience …

No one has to die in their sin. No one has to experience eternal separation from God and unending suffering in hell – no one!

“The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent,” 2 Peter 3:9.

God has worked through human history to provide a way that we can be reconciled with Him rather than living in rebellion …

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation … For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ,” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, 21.

No one has to be the prisoner of an irrational mind. God wants to change our thinking, and He will if we surrender our lives to Him …

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect,” Romans 12:2.

“Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes,” Ephesians 4:23.

Sometimes Christians still struggle with thinking irrationally and with habitualized cognitive distortions. A competent, skilled Christian clinical therapist can help such people overcome these struggles. Research has provided overwhelming evidence that therapy such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is highly effective in helping people learn to consistently think more rationally and to overcome patterns of cognitive distortions. You simply do not have to be a prisoner of an irrational mind!

No one has to live an out-of-control life. Our thoughts create our emotions, and the combination of our thoughts and emotions creates our behavior. By God transforming our thinking, our emotions and behaviors will be transformed as well. Additionally, God enables us to live life with discipline …

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline,” 2 Timothy 1:7.

Most people can defeat mental illness. Again, a large body of research consistently concludes that competent therapy (and sometimes a combination of therapy and medication) is highly effective in helping most people either overcome mental illness, or live fulfilling and functionally satisfying lives with mental illness. The key is to get the professional help needed.

Most people can live healthy lives but only if you’re willing to be good stewards of your own body. Too many people aren’t willing. If you insist on a lifestyle largely devoid of exercise, fueled by a poor diet, strained by a lack of sleep, and otherwise abusing your body, don’t expect to be fit, and understand living in such a way is an invitation for disease. I’m not saying you’ll never experience sickness or disease if you’re a faithful steward of your body – that can and does happen – but when you take care of your body the way it should be cared for, you maximize the potential for robust health and fitness.

Any marriage can thrive when both husband and wife fully yield their lives to God and “do marriage” God’s way. Marriages don’t fail because people “grow apart,” that’s not “growth”! Marriages fail because people stop loving each other and pursue their own selfish interests. When we keep our marriage covenants as faithful disciples of Jesus, we can know the fullness of the marriage relationship that God intended when He designed it. We can also be equipped in essential communication skills for building a mutually satisfying, collaborative relationship.

Everyone really can experience a fulfilling life, one that is richly satisfying. We just have to be willing to live it on God’s terms, and for His glory. Sometimes we need help to fully realize Jesus’ promise, but that help is there in Jesus Christ (who will never forsake us), the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the instruction of God’s Word, the fellowship of His church, and the professional skills of competent Christian clinical therapists. That’s a lot of help! So why settle for a life that is anything less than the one Jesus wants to provide for you?

A final note – living a “rich and satisfying life” doesn’t mean a life void of troubles, trials, pain, and difficulty; it means having such a life in spite of such things.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world,” John 16:33.

Scotty