The core theme of I’m Planted Not Buried leans strongly on Christian spiritual growth and the abundant life that Jesus Christ promises in John 10:10 because our only saving grace is cultivating a conscious relationship with God.

When we decide that there’s more available for us in God and the future He has in store for us, then we’ll fight to live in our purpose. Only this will enable us to turn our pain into purpose and unlock the power of God in our life. This is how we’ll bloom. Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for our abundant life and there’s healing for every kind of brokenness at the cross. We’ll also get the perfect theology about our life. There has always been a plan, even with all the turmoil that’s happened. If anything, the entire calamity ignited a thirst for God in us that might not have come in any other way. We’ll have to transform the bad into good and the pain into purpose, so we can unlock the strength attached to every weakness.

To find abundance in the purpose Jesus Christ manifests in our lives, we’ll need to have a plan on how to deal with pain, even if it means being in an uncomfortable position for a season as we carry our crosses. (See Matthew 16:24–26.)

For example, Jesus was crucified on the cross for our sins and as He hung there in pain, He was given sour wine mixed with gall (a bitter substance) to ease the pain. After He tasted it, Jesus refused to drink it (Matthew 27:34). He understood this concoction was given to Him to ease the pain, but He chose to stay sober so that He can fully live out His purpose, at all costs. Jesus didn’t want to pacify His brokenness. He didn’t want to depend on any coping mechanism as He bled out on the cross for mankind’s sins. Instead, Jesus found a way to turn His pain into purpose by rising from the grave on the third day, which fulfilled God’s purpose for His life. Now He’s seated at the right hand of the Father (Colossians 3:1), His name is above every name (Philippians 2:9) because Christ is supreme (Colossians 1:15–21).

Another interesting part of Jesus’ crucifixion is that right before He gave up His Spirit to the Father, He said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). But previously, He had refused to drink the concoction with gall given to Him. The difference this time around was that He knew His mission was finished and the reason He said, “I thirst” was to fulfil a prophecy (Psalm 69:21). His thirst was to complete His purpose. So He was given sour wine on a sponge to drink, with no gall and He bowed His head and said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Daily, we thirst too. We thirst to live in God’s purpose for our lives and unwrap every gift He has given us. Until we decide to partner with God to do destiny, nothing else will quench this thirst, and some people die thirsty.

If you believe in the power and resurrection of Jesus Christ and want to tap into more, there is fresh living water (John 7:38). We don’t have to confine the Christian faith to a church building, Passover, or Easter Sunday. We can bring our faith into the practicality of our life experiences by celebrating Jesus’ resurrection daily. We’ve been planted and not buried.