Living Life to the Full
By: Abraham Raymond Eli
Tags: Life, Joy, Happiness, God, True Joy

What does ‘living life to the full’ mean?

If one were to ask, “What does ‘living life to the full’ mean?” There would be so many answers that it would be difficult to put them down on a few pages, but let us briefly consider a few of them.

To some, living life to the full is measured by the expanse or value of a man’s possessions. Some others would say that the higher your social class in society is, the more you can be said to be living life to the full. Then, some others believe that living life to the full means that you have lived your dream fared sumptuously, and have not been denied any desires or opportunities your heart wished for.

Yet others see living life to the full as the privilege of overcoming the ups and downs of life from childhood to a good old age, having experienced the pleasures of education, career-building, parenting, travels, and retirement in good stead. Some others still, refer to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and infer that living life to the full is attaining self-actualization — the place where you can say, “I have arrived!” Yet others still, look at the ‘enjoyment’ value of life and postulate that the happier you are, the more you can be said to be living life to the full.

These different responses show that the perception of “living life to the full” is relative to the individual; and suggests that living life to the full is denominated by possessions, status, and personal satisfaction.

But nothing can be further from the truth! For if these opinions were true, we would have to conclude that those without material or intellectual resources and means (that is, those considered poor or illiterate by society) are not living at all! Indeed, the responses put out on the question of living life to the full do not even come close to what it is all about.

Having possessions is not “living life to the full”

Some people believe and insist that they are living life to the full because they can get whatsoever they desire. These people desire to have everything and anything they set their eyes on. If they bought a new car yesterday, and today, they see someone else with what they perceive to be a better brand of car, they will not rest until they have acquired that car also! Their homes are littered with all kinds of possessions.

Seeking to acquire whatever you desire, just because you can afford it, or because you just must have it, is not living life to the full at all, but a serious problem called covetousness.

Covetousness is that strong desire to keep on acquiring more and more of anything. It is not something that you ascribe to the rich necessarily. A poor person can be covetous while a rich individual may not be covetous. The possible reason why people do not realize that the poor can be covetous is that the poor don’t have the means to acquire what they desire. Give a poor individual who is covetous at heart, access to funds, and you would be surprised at what he would spend the money on.

Covetous people believe that every new acquisition will bring them lasting joy and fill the void in their lives. Unfortunately, what they end up with is temporary happiness, which is neither satisfying nor fulfilling.

Happiness is not “living life to the full”

While happiness derives from happy or pleasant events that occur in a person’s life (a celebration, making a purchase that gladdens the heart, etc.), joy comes from within and springs from adding value to another person’s life, thereby making them live a better life.

Happiness is based on happenings that momentarily gladden the heart and can change whenever prevailing conditions change.

It is an emotional expression of gladness experienced by a person only when the things he considers pleasant are happening to him — like obtaining his dream job, getting a dream car, marrying a dream spouse, building a dream house, picking up a dream political appointment, getting high on drugs, etc. — all of which are but fleeting in the excitement they bring.

But when things are not going this person’s way, however, he is sad, upset, and irritable. In most cases, shortly after these dream things have been obtained, or the effect of the drug wears out, the happiness wears off, and the search for another thing that can bring happiness begins all over again. It just never ends!

The wealthy man who kept wanting more

There was a wealthy man who had great possessions and built warehouses to store them in. The night he finished storing all his possessions in his warehouses, he died (this story is in the Bible, Luke 12:16–20)! Had this man known that he was going to die that night, he probably would have spent more time disposing of his possessions, than storing them up. We fail to realize that we do not have control over our lives.

Buying what is needed for daily sustenance is not a problem.

The problem is the uncontrollable and insatiable desire to keep on acquiring things! Someone may ask, “And what is wrong with saving for a rainy day?” Nothing! Acquiring things just so that you can have more is not saving for a rainy day. That is not living life to the full. It is selfish living.

Joy is better than happiness but it is not “living life to the full”

Unlike happiness, joy has nothing to do with acquiring something pleasing to oneself. Joy is the result of giving of oneself to others. When a man does something to change the lives of other people for the better, he experiences joy, which is a direct result of the joy that has been made possible in the lives of others. And as fulfilling as joy may be, it is still not living life to the full.

While selfish people cannot truly experience joy and cannot be said to be living life; people who give themselves to others can be said to be living life, even though, not to the full.

Indeed, this kind of joy can be truncated when it gives in to boasting, arrogance, and a desire for recognition. For instance, once a person who helps others desires accolade or recognition from those he has helped, he makes nonsense of all his efforts. Also, and most importantly, there is no acknowledgment of God’s involvement in such acts of benevolence; and if there ever is, it is only paid lip service. No, this kind of joy never lasts and is not indicative of living life to the full.

So, what is “living life to the full”?

Living life to the full has to do with God! It is living your life for God. It manifests as inexpressible joy that lasts forever. Let us call this lasting joy, “true joy”.

True joy cannot be described. It is something that can only be experienced, which is why it is called “inexpressible.”

True joy is released into our hearts by God, the Source of true joy. It does not happen because God gave you something physical, or because you received a miracle. Neither is it something that happens because you attended an ‘anointed church service’.

True joy is something that happens in you because God forgave you your sins! The forgiveness of sins comes from God because Jesus Christ died for the sins of all. Thus, a man can be said to be living life to the full, only after he has received Jesus Christ into his life.

True joy

Unlike the joy that does not last, there can never be any boasting here because true joy is not worked for, but freely given to those who have Jesus Christ in their lives. True joy is not dependent on having possessions, neither is it based on pleasant conditions nor is it there because of an exciting event. Even when there is the loss of a loved one, true joy remains.

We may weep because we will no longer see that individual again here on earth, but our inexpressible joy will remain because God’s comfort is more than sufficient to take away the hurt and pain.

This is what makes people look at those who possess true joy in awe and wonder how they cope well with major losses and great upheavals in life. When God is in control of your life and unpleasant things occur — and they do occur — there will always be that blessed assurance that all is well. Thus, it is possible, for example, for a lowly security guard to experience true joy, thereby live life to the full; whereas a top CEO of a global company quoted on several major International Stock Exchanges may know nothing of true joy!

Without God, there is no true joy

If all you have experienced is non-lasting joy, it is because you are yet to hand over your life to God. You may have taken in the less privileged, taken care of widows, taken things to orphanages, adopted a less privileged child, and even brought positive change to the lives of many people. You may even be attending church regularly, and giving to pastors and missionary work, yet you will not experience true joy because God is not involved.

The joy that derives from doing good deeds without God in a man’s life is shallow and transient.

The good news is that you can experience true joy. And if you have only experienced momentary happiness or have never experienced happiness at all, you can begin today to experience true joy.

Experiencing true joy

What must you do to experience true joy? First, you must realize and accept that your life is empty without God. Then, be ready to ask Jesus Christ into your life. Only after genuine repentance, an act of true humility and acknowledgment of emptiness without God, will God respond by coming into your life and giving you true joy along with the peace that it brings.

Living life to the full is what happens in you when Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is your Lord and Saviour.

For without Jesus Christ, you will be living an empty life. Good deeds, possessions, and friends, without Jesus Christ in your life, is meaningless. So, come to Jesus Christ today, be saved from the stranglehold of sin and live, and start experiencing true joy.