I often hear people say, “They survived, but they will never thrive,” or “They not only survived, but they are now thriving.”
Every time I hear those phrases, my mind goes somewhere unexpected. I immediately think of someone who has been to war. It sounds as though life has been one long battle. It paints a picture of someone fighting to get through each day rather than someone who was simply living. Maybe that is just me.
What comes to your mind when you hear those phrases? Have you ever stopped to think about them? Perhaps you have heard those words spoken about someone who has experienced a difficult divorce, the loss of a loved one, financial hardship, betrayal, illness, or disappointment. Maybe you have even heard them spoken about yourself.
“Survived.” It is an interesting word. It suggests endurance. It suggests that something difficult happened, and somehow, despite everything, the person remained standing. But is surviving enough? Maybe there are seasons in our lives when surviving is exactly what we are supposed to do. As the Bible says there is a season for everything under the sun. Perhaps there are moments when simply getting through the day is an accomplishment in itself. We often place so much emphasis on thriving that we forget that survival sometimes requires incredible strength.
Yet, there is another part of the conversation that fascinates me. What causes some people to remain in survival mode while others seem to move beyond it and begin to thrive? Is it a conscious decision? Is it time? Is it perspective? Or is it something that slowly develops within us without us even realizing it? Perhaps the struggles themselves have something to do with it. After all, we have all heard the saying that pressure creates diamonds. Coal under immense pressure transforms into something beautiful, valuable, and resilient. Could life work the same way? Could the difficulties we face be shaping us into people we never imagined we could become? Could the very experiences that threatened to break us actually be the things that strengthen us?
Maybe thriving is not about avoiding hardship at all. Maybe thriving is the result of having endured hardship. Maybe it is not the absence of pressure but what we choose to do with it.
I wonder if thriving is less about arriving at a destination and more about how we respond to life’s interruptions. Perhaps thriving does not mean we no longer have problems. Maybe it simply means that the problems no longer define us. Maybe it means we have learned to laugh again. To dream again. To trust again. To hope again. To live again.
Because surviving feels like holding on. Thriving feels like letting go and embracing life once more. The truth is, many of us have experienced seasons where we were simply surviving. We were doing whatever was necessary to make it through each day. As the saying goes, “a day at a time.” There is no shame in that, I have been there and I’m sure many of you have.
Life can be difficult.
Life can be unfair.
Life can be unpredictable.
But perhaps surviving was never meant to be our permanent address. Perhaps it was only a temporary stop along the journey. The journey called life. As I have always said, it’s the journey not the destination that’s important.
Maybe thriving begins the moment we realise that what happened to us does not have to become who we are. Maybe it begins when we choose not to allow difficult seasons to steal our future. Or maybe it is even simpler than that. Maybe thriving begins when we give ourselves permission to truly live again.
I do not know. I am still reflecting on it. But the next time I hear someone say, “They survived,” or “They are thriving,” I think I will pause for a moment. Because behind those words is usually a story.
A story of pain.
A story of resilience.
A story of growth.
And perhaps a reminder to all of us that surviving and thriving are not opposites at all. Maybe one is simply the beginning of the other. What do you think?
I genuinely want to know your thoughts, and I’m sure others do too. Feel free to comment 👍🏽, but if you’re not comfortable sharing, please reach out to me through any medium. I’d be thrilled if you could share something, anything, and let others know. Your comments help me understand your perspective and often present a completely different view on the topic. They could even inspire another blog. 😉 And you never know how your comment might benefit others. Remember, life is meant to be lived, and you should always strive to live your best life. #lifeisforliving #liveyourbestlife #gratefulforlife #faithgreaterthanfear
See you next Wednesday at 8:00 p.m., Bogotá time.