FTT

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Psychologists have begun to speak of what is perhaps today’s largest mental health problem. And it’s a rapidly growing problem. They call it ‘FTT’, which means ‘failure to thrive’. When you have it, you’re still able to function, but you’ve lost your sense of hope and meaning. FTT isn’t the presence of mental illness; it’s the absence of mental, spiritual and emotional vitality. In ancient lists of deadly sins it was called ‘acedia’, which means ‘weariness of soul and inability to delight in life’. It’s why Jesus looked at a crowd of people with dead marriages, dead-end jobs, and a feeling of inner deadness, and said, ‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full’ (John 10:10). In a vision, Ezekiel saw a valley full of dead bones. It was FTT in its final form. God asked him, ‘Can these bones live?’ He replied, ‘…You alone know’ (Ezekiel 37:3). God did know, and He made them come alive. And He can cause you to live again, and to thrive. The Talmud says that every blade of grass has an angel bending over it whispering, ‘Grow, grow.’ Paul said that in Christ the whole redeemed company ‘…grows and builds itself up in love…’ (Ephesians 4:16). But it’s not just about you. God wants you to flourish so that people can be encouraged, gardens can be planted, music can be written, sick people can be helped, or companies can thrive in ways they otherwise would not. So let’s stop and propose a toast: ‘Here’s to the person God designed, desired, and has determined you will become!’

Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me in my “FTT” times to see that You came to give me life – and life in its fullest. Help me keep my eyes on You and what You want to do with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen