Do you remember when this month of life all began? It was a fresh clean slate and you dared to believe this month could be different. This month could be BIG. This month you could change.

And you were right. This month had all the potential to be BIG. You could change … but did you? Did you show up and do what you said you would do in July? Did you give your best effort? Are you proud of the life you lived? Here in BIG Life we say, prove yourself worthy of the life you were created for. Did you live up to that potential over the past 31 days?

Here’s what I’ve found … we are each tested by two things. Of course there is the test of overwhelm. Everything’s happening at once. You’re busy, you’re scattered, you don’t know what to do first so you’re overwhelmed. That’s a test.

And then there’s the opposite, but an equal test. Underwhelm. The overwhelm is easy to spot, and almost a badge of honor we wear, as if being busy is some kind of prestigious award signifying your value and importance. But the underwhelm goes unidentified, eating at us from the inside. We’re simply not impressed by life. No longer excited to wake up to a new day. Not expecting anything great and not bringing anything great. It’s all become unimpressive. We’re bored out of our minds by the monotony of the routine. And it’s a test.

Today you are being tested.
Some of us are better tested by overwhelm. Will you give in and will you give up when the going gets tough? While others are better tested by underwhelm. Will you settle into what is easy and never push to get more? Where are you being tested today? Recognize each test asks a question and the question is “how bad do you want it?”

Through today’s challenge is the way to the next level. You want to graduate to the next level of living? You want to move on up in life? Pass this test. Prove you’re not giving up. Prove you’re not settling. Prove you’re no longer seeking easy. Prove YOU WANT IT BAD.

What is it you want? You want the very life you were created for? You want to live up to the potential God has placed within you? You want to enjoy life to the fullest? You want to experience more and be more?

You want it? Ahhhhh, how bad sister, how bad?

It’s pretty darn easy to trust God when everything is going your way, but it’s tough to trust him when a job is lost. It’s tough to trust him when you don’t know where you’re going to get the money to make ends meet this month. It’s tough to trust God when someone you love walks out of your life. But these are tests. Will you endure? Will you be disciplined? Will you stay in the game? Will you refuse to grow bitter? Will you be faithful? Will you finish what you started?

Or the flip side of the coin. While it’s easy to trust God when everything is going your way, it’s real easy to forget you need him. Will you trust God even when you don’t have to? When life is void of crisis, will you still seek him? When today is remarkably like yesterday so you already know the routine, will you stay in the game? When you could sit on the sidelines and no one would really miss you, will you still show up? Will God still see you giving your best when your best isn’t even being put to the test?

What are you being tested in right now? Are you overwhelmed – or are you really just underwhelmed? What have you started that you need to finish this month? Yes, here we are the final day of July 2019, did you do what you said you would do? What could you do to finish well? In scripture the Corinthians had made a commitment and Paul wrote to them and reminded them of that commitment. 2 Corinthians 8:11 says, “Finish what you started, carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it.”

The King James bible says it like this “Now therefore perform the doing of it.” It’s time to actually DO IT!”

Maybe a few of us need that letter to arrive in our mailbox today. A reminder that says “Hey girl, finish what you started. Carry this through enthusiastically. You said you would do it, now show up and just do the darn thing.” That’s right, I’m calling you out sister. What commitments have you made that you need to complete? Is there somewhere that you’re slacking or giving up? It may even be out of your control and not even feasible at this point, but it’s still a test.

What’s the test?
How bad do you want it?

Life is continually asking you how bad do you want it? The best things in life aren’t just handed over to you. You have an obligation here. You have to show up and prove you want it bad!

How bad do you want to end this month with a step in the right direction? How bad do you want this to be a success instead of a failure? How bad do you want to live up to your potential in THIS DAY? I mean really, let’s bring it home, this is about ending this month well, stop putting it off into the distant future where you may actually show up and follow through with what you said. If you won’t do it now, what makes you think you will do it then? This is the last day. What are you going to do about it?

How bad do you want to prove yourself worthy of the life you were created for? Do you want it bad enough to take off those ‘giving up on life pants’ and put on real clothes today? Bad enough to make a to-do list and get to work on it? Do you want it bad enough to turn off the TV, get off social media, and start doing the next right thing? Bad enough to show up and do hard things? Do you want it bad enough to not complain about it?

How bad do you want this BIG Life available to you? Prove it! If you’re looking for easy you’re not going to find Big Life. Living Big comes at a high price and it’s worth every penny and every ounce of effort.

You want to feel good at the end of this day, right? That feeling only comes when paid for by your actions and attitude. You can’t charge it, it’s prepay only. Put in the work, then you get the good feeling. Today is your day to prove how bad you want it. Your answer to the question, “How bad do you want it?” should be a hearty “Bad!” How bad? “Real bad!”

Then no more talk, it’s time for action. No more settling. No more wishing things will be different next month. That’s crap. If you want something different you have to do something different and that starts today!

Your overwhelm, or your underwhelm, is simply a test. A test of how bad do you really want it. And don’t miss this, God wants you to have everything he created you for. His desire is for you to pass the test of overwhelm and pass the test of underwhelm, to rise up to reach your potential, and step into the BIG Life only you can live. He wants this for you … now show up for it and prove you’re worthy of the life he is offering you.

And if you should wake up tomorrow to a brand new month of life with another 31 days offered, will you commit to living up to all it could be? Will you prove yourself worthy of what God has placed within you?