Abundance often emerges from the impossible. Many times the very fact that the impossibility exists creates the opportunity for the Lord to bring forth His abundance.

Sometimes an act of faith is required. For Abraham, he had to believe in the midst of impossibility that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

Abundance wears many faces. Some assume that abundance implies health, wealth and prosperity and for some people that may be true.

However, God’s abundance does not come with a guarantee of those things. The churches of Macedonia experienced great trials of afflictions, but they possessed an abundance of joy even in the midst of deep poverty.

I believe that abundance is an attitude of your heart. The Israelites in the wilderness complained about not having any meat and the Lord sent them an abundance of quail.

Abundance permeated both instances, but which pleases the Lord more, to have abundance that satisfies your selfish desires or to have a heart overflowing in abundance?

I think all of us often face that dilemma. When circumstances in our life are not to our liking, it is easier to behave like the Israelites and complain. That does not mean the Lord won’t bless us, because He often does even when we are the least deserving.

I believe the Lord’s heart is for us to become more like the Macedonians. He desires our heart to be filled with the abundance of His love, joy and grace, regardless of circumstances.

As a new year begins, let’s take time to examine our hearts. We want our cup to “runneth over,” but are we willing to allow Him to change us? If so, then we can be filled exceedingly, abundantly and without measure.

~Marianne