“I don’t want to survive; I want to live!”

The Captain in the movie Wall-E has had enough of floating around, living a mundane existence focused on simply surviving in space. The humans in Wall-E have stayed aboard the aptly named ship Axiom and haven’t questioned their situation. But when life is discovered on the supposedly doomed planet earth, it stirs something within the Captain to recognise that merely existing isn’t living. Surviving is not thriving.

I wonder if there are areas in our lives that we’re surviving because we’ve settled to the idea that it’s just the way it is. That there’s no hope for change: society, family, health or any number of categories of life are established and unchangeable. They’re axioms. Things are the way they are, so you better just get on and survive.

Jesus has other ideas.

He came to give us life and life to the full (John 10:10), he’s all about His kids thriving and not just surviving. The psalmist writes, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11) Jesus’ heart is for us to truly live. To experience the pleasures of living, existing, working, serving, and loving in His presence. He longs for us to know clarity and direction in the choices we make in life. To realise joy and fulfilment as we live in communion with Him. Jesus wants us to rise against the humdrum mundanity and stop simply existing but start living.

Where have you found yourself thinking, that’s just the way it is? Have you begun to simply survive in areas of your life rather than know the thrilling adventure of thriving when you live hand in hand with Jesus?

There is power in the presence and name of Jesus. He sets us free from a mediocre life (Galatians 5) and calls us instead to truly start living. Ask Him to set you free again that you might live fully alive, “animated and motivated by God’s Spirit.” (Galatians 5:16 MSG)