Abundance!  What an amazing word!  Having abundance means that you have plenty, a lavish amount and more than enough.  It has been described as a cup of blessing that overflows so much that everyone around it gets wet.  An abundant smile is so contagious that everyone it encounters catches it and starts smiling too!

The most amazing thing about experiencing abundance is it is something everyone can have.  In fact, we get to choose it – regardless of our circumstances.  

I heard a story about a shoe salesman who was sent to a remote African village and after six horrible months on the job, he e-mailed his company: “I quit because no one wears shoes over here.”   I was sure surprised when the shoe company decided to send a second salesman to that same village.  The second guy e-mailed the company right away, “Unlimited potential – no one wears shoes yet!!” and this guy went on to break all the company sales records.  

One set of circumstances with two opposite outcomes.  Why do some people think so small while others think so big?  Why do some see problems while others perceive potential? How can we learn to think and live the great big life of abundance we were meant to live?

Perhaps the first step is to recognize the problem of these two opposite “life philosophies”:  Abundance versus scarcity.  Scarcity thinking believes there is only so much happiness to go around. So if you have more happiness, then there is less for me. You’ll recognize scarcity thinking in your own heart every time you are jealous of anyone else.  

Having an abundance mindset is the exact opposite.  It believes there is more than enough love, goodness, happiness, opportunity and wealth to go around for everyone who wants it.  They are simply gifts from God!  Abundance thinkers are truly happy for YOU whenever you win the game, get a raise, buy a new home, have a great marriage, or become successful.   They sincerely want YOU to win and your success makes abundance thinkers smile and feel good for you – even if they are going through a tough time or losing some battles in their own lives.

Abundance thinking is more than a “positive attitude” because it rewards those thinkers with a win-win approach and outlook on life.  Essentially, when you win, I win too.

Most moms are great examples of abundance thinkers.   I remember how my sister stayed up all night long whenever her little kids got sick.  Abundance moms always want the very best for their kids and they sacrifice their time and personal goals – all because they want their children to thrive.  They have an overflowing love for their children.   When their child wins – they win too, even if it costs them personally.  

Now that we’ve recognized the difference between abundance thinking and scarcity thinking, who would not want to have an abundance mindset?  The next step is to discover how to not just rent abundance like an occasional faucet drip, but to own true abundance so it overflows all around us and everyone gets sloppy wet!  There are two easy steps for those who truly want this.  

First, we must be deliberate about what we think about.  Just like you are what you eat, so too, you are what you think about.  Consider George, an old man who watched the news every day and night, over and over through his life.  George slowly became so afraid of the world that he locked himself inside his house, incessantly talked about problems and lost all his friends.  Although George still breathes air, it could be argued that George truly stopped living many years ago.  He is a victim of scarcity thinking.

Now think of my friend, Tom, a 44-year-old who only listened to uplifting podcasts, read good books, and was careful about what he watches.  He said, “If I only put good things in my mind, I get good things in my life.  It leads me to think higher, talk better, and my daily actions become more positive and productive.  As I repeat these actions over and over, they become habits which form the heart of my character.” Can we guess what happened to Tom over the years?  His knowledge, influence and responsibilities continued to grow and so did his paycheck.  Tom drinks and eats abundance.  He reads about it, studies it, listens to it and watches shows that bless his mind.  Everyone likes him, feels his abundance overflow, and sees him as a victor! Furthermore, his success has inspired him to help others become successful too!

It’s interesting to see how victor and victim have the same Latin prefix.  “Vict” means to conquer, but a victor is one who conquers while a victim is one who is conquered.   Amazingly, we get to choose which one we will be, simply by choosing what we allow ourselves to think about.

The second step to an abundant mindset is to be thankful.  Yes, thankful.  Not thankful to the blue sky, or to chlorophyll that makes plants green, or to some planetary nebula.  Not thankful that it is Friday, or payday, or that you passed a big test.  It is to always and everywhere be thankful to God, the Author and source of all that is good!

Thankful that he created us.  Thankful for the air we breathe.  Thankful for our clean water that comes out of our faucets, for our food, for being able to take hot showers, for having heat and air-conditioning, and a bed to sleep in!   Really!  It’s saying thank you to God for our health, our families, and friends.  How about being thankful that we have work and the ability to work!  

When we are able to sincerely say thank you to God for a glass of clean water that comes right out of our own kitchen faucet, doesn’t it somehow make the water that much more special? I for one believe that the water tastes even better when I’m thankful for it.  And who among us, wouldn’t want everyone in the world to be able to access clean water right from their kitchen faucet!  Of course, we want this for everyone – and it is proof that we can think abundantly!

No wonder Jesus said, “I came that you may have life, and may have it abundantly” (John 10:10).  And later, the Bible gives us the secret recipe to living inside Jesus’ abundance when it says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).   Yes – in all circumstances.  And if this isn’t clear enough, the Bible also says, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

Whatever we do.  In all circumstances.   All the time – wherever we go.   When we raise our eyes to God with a sincerely thankful heart, we begin to live inside his abundance!   We begin to recognize how abundantly blessed our lives already are!