I have often been perplexed by this verse until recently. Ely & I were talking about our 7 years of marriage and our 12 respective years of ministry, and said to ourselves: “It’s as if we have already lived 3 lives.”

And by saying it out loud, this verse suddenly took on a whole new meaning.

A life to the full does not exclude the failures, because they make us more aware of the grace in victories.

A life to the full does not exclude the moments of financial difficulties, because they make us only more grateful to be able to eat and sleep under a roof.

A life in abundance does not exclude the moments of doubts, opposition and pain because those make us more humble about our own capacity to do something good on this earth.

A life in abundance is not a comfortable life, but a life lived to its fullest potential.