I am not asking if you love God, but something different. Do you truly love to be alive? Peter lets us know that there is a pathway to “loving life.” Jesus also said that He came to give us abundant life, not just eternal life.
The Greek word for abundant in John 10:10 is “perissos” which means “superabundant (in quantity) or superior (in quality); excessive; advantage; exceedingly; very highly; and beyond measure.” If we combine any of these words with “life,” we realize we have been promised something wonderful for living now.
One main way to grow in loving life is to focus on working with God instead of for God. This perspective will help us be child-like, which will enable us to see life as full of possibilities, adventure and opportunities (because we are friends with a good and big God). Those with a “working for God” mindset can find it difficult to love life to its fullest because of a fear of displeasing God and being ultimately punished for not measuring up.
“Working with God” can be easier with our strengths than with our failures because we wrongly believe we must “get our act together” before reconnecting with God. This mistaken thinking is at the root of why many Christians don’t “love life.” Hebrews 4:15- 16 is an antidote to this error and an igniter to loving life. “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses . . . Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace . . . and find grace to help in time of need.” Even in our weaknesses, the Father delights in giving grace, so we can experience the abundant life. Extract from Victorious Mindsets Steve Backlund