A man was working on a tall building when his scaffold malfunctioned, and he fell to the ground. Badly injured, the man was taken to the hospital and had to undergo emergency surgery. The anesthesiologist came to prep the man for surgery and found him cracking jokes. She was not having a good day and didn’t think the man’s jokes were funny. In fact she scolded the man, reminding him of the seriousness of his injuries and suggested that he stop being funny. Then she asked the man if he was allergic to anything. The man replied, “Yes, I’m allergic to tall buildings!”

Surviving is a condition of continuing to exist. It is a mindset of just trying to make it or get through something. Often, the rigors of our routines put us in survival mode by default, and we just want to get through the day. There are times when your circumstances are so challenging (like sickness, loss of income, separation, or addiction), and your life becomes so demanding. That’s when we are always hanging in there and simply trying to survive the moment—hoping to continue to exist after the storm.   

Thriving, on the other hand, is a condition that goes beyond merely surviving. Thriving is evidenced by growth, flourishing, positive developments, and prospering. And this condition is not just physical and financial, but emotional, mental, relational, and spiritual. The construction worker who maintained a sense of humor even after a serious accident had a thriving mentality—always seeing, expecting, and hoping for a positive outcome.

 Are there times or things that put you in a survival mode? What is it or who is it that makes you feel like you are thriving? Embrace the later, for God wants you to do more than survive; He wants you to thrive. This is what God says:

 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither- whatever they do prospers” (Psalm 1:1-3).

Stop surviving and start thriving. Start thinking and acting this way. Don’t just react to your circumstances, start influencing the outcome of your circumstances. God is with you, and He wants the best for you. Here is more evidence of God’s desire for you to thrive. “Trust in your wealth, and you will be a failure, but God’s people will prosper like healthy plants” (Proverbs 11:28, CEV).

“Good people will prosper like palm trees, and they will grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12, CEV).

Wisdom for Your Week

God has made you the head and not the tail. Stay in your God-given position.