
Flourishing faith is a concept that goes beyond the standard cultural definition of the good life. It is about living a life that is pleasing to God and bringing about flourishing in the world. This involves being a good steward of the resources God has given us, which includes not just our money but also our time, energy, talents, gifts, and skills. Biblical flourishing is missional, priestly, and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory throughout the earth. It is about helping others flourish, rather than being self-focused. This is reflected in the Hebrew word shalom, which signifies salvation, wholeness, integrity, soundness, community, connectedness, righteousness, justice, and well-being.
To flourish in our faith, we need to be rooted in God and grow in our relationship with Him. This may involve going through difficult seasons where we feel exhausted and our prayers seem unanswered. However, even during these times, we can cling to God's promises for our lives and trust that He is working for our good. As we persevere and continue to seek Him, we will grow stronger and experience the abundant life that God has promised.
What You'll Learn
- Flourishing is about being in a vigorous state, thriving, prospering, and growing luxuriantly
- Biblical flourishing is missional, priestly, and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory
- Flourishing is about being rooted in God, growing, and prospering
- Flourishing is about clinging to God's promises for your life in good times and bad
- Flourishing is about dying to self-centred desires, dreams, and demands
Flourishing is about being in a vigorous state, thriving, prospering, and growing luxuriantly
The Bible speaks about flourishing in the discussions about the righteous and wicked. The righteous flourish because God is with them. The wicked, on the other hand, lose all they have and are ultimately destroyed.
Biblical flourishing is missional, priestly, and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory throughout the earth. We flourish when we help others flourish.
Biblical flourishing is also wholistic, encompassing all of our being, including our material, psychological, spiritual, and emotional aspects.
In the Old Testament, the concept of flourishing is best described by the Hebrew word "shalom", which signifies salvation, wholeness, integrity, soundness, community, connectedness, righteousness, justice, and well-being. Shalom denotes a right relationship with God, with others, and with God's good creation.
Flourishing is a slow and progressive death that brings abundant life. Our new heart has new desires. Even as our physical bodies grow old, God causes our new desires to flourish as they are fertilized by his word and spirit, and we die to self-centred desires, dreams, and demands.
Flourishing is about being in a vigorous state, where we are rooted in God, growing and prospering. It is about clinging to God's promises for your life in good times and bad. It is about taking pleasure in the created order, the sacraments of relationships, and admiring the good of the world.
Flourishing is about being in a state of deep, vigorous growth, and bold, extravagant action. It is about being in one's prime, prospering, and growing luxuriantly.
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Biblical flourishing is missional, priestly, and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory
Biblical flourishing is distinct from worldly flourishing. While the world associates flourishing with activity and productivity, the Bible teaches that flourishing is about becoming more like Christ. It is about dying to self-centred desires, dreams, and demands, and instead, being motivated by spreading God's glory throughout the earth.
Biblical flourishing is missional, priestly, and outward-focused. It is about helping others flourish. This is in stark contrast to the cultural view of flourishing, which is self-focused, inwardly fixated, and all about glorifying and pleasing oneself.
Biblical flourishing is about being a good steward of the resources that God gives us. It is about knowing and doing what God desires us to do with the resources He has entrusted us with. It is about maximising the gifts that He has given us to contribute to the flourishing of the world.
Biblical flourishing is about being focused on others. It is about being missional and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory. This is in contrast to the cultural view, which is self-focused and inwardly fixated. Biblical flourishing recognises that we are all created uniquely by God to contribute something to His kingdom.
Biblical flourishing is also wholistic, encompassing all of our being, including our material, psychological, spiritual, and emotional aspects. It is not just about our material prosperity, as the cultural vision of flourishing tends to focus on. Biblical flourishing recognises that we are more than just physical beings, and that true flourishing comes from God and is eternal.
Biblical flourishing is about being planted in the house of the Lord and thriving in His presence. It is about having a right relationship with God, with others, and with God's good creation. It is about being in community and connectedness, and experiencing salvation, wholeness, integrity, soundness, righteousness, justice, and well-being. Biblical flourishing is about experiencing the peace of God, which is more than just the absence of conflict.
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Flourishing is about being rooted in God, growing, and prospering
The Bible tells us that when we are too exhausted to pray, the Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26). In times of difficulty, we can cling to God's promises for our lives in the good times and the bad.
The Bible uses the analogy of a palm tree planted by a stream or river to illustrate what it means to flourish. When we are rooted in God, we grow and prosper. We are like trees, sturdy and constant, planted before the Lord, thriving in His presence. This is the true meaning of flourishing—being firmly established in God, bearing fruit, and prospering.
The Hebrew word "shalom" in the Old Testament describes the concept of flourishing. It signifies salvation, wholeness, integrity, soundness, community, connectedness, righteousness, justice, and well-being. Shalom represents a right relationship with God, with others, and with God's creation. It is the way God intended things to be when He created the universe.
Biblical flourishing is missional and outward-focused, motivated by spreading God's glory throughout the earth. We flourish when we help others flourish (Jeremiah 29:4-7). It is about being rooted in God and extending that stability and growth to others.
Flourishing is also about wholeness and well-being. It encompasses all aspects of our being, including the material, psychological, spiritual, and emotional. It is about growing and prospering in every area of our lives, reflecting the abundance and prosperity God desires for us.
As we are rooted in God, we find that flourishing is a slow and progressive death to self that brings abundant life. Our desires become aligned with God's desires, and we bear fruit for His kingdom. This is the true meaning of flourishing—being firmly established in God, growing in His likeness, and extending that growth to others.
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Flourishing is about clinging to God's promises for your life in good times and bad
Flourishing in faith is not about putting on a happy face or pretending that everything is fine when it is not. Instead, it is about holding on to God's promises for your life, even during difficult times.
The Bible tells us that when we are exhausted and unable to pray, the Holy Spirit prays for us (Romans 8:26). This means that even when we feel far from God, He is still gently guiding us.
The Bible uses the analogy of a palm tree planted by a stream to illustrate the concept of flourishing. When we are rooted in God, we grow and prosper, just as a palm tree thrives when it is nourished by a steady water source.
In Psalm 92, we learn that the righteous will flourish like the palm tree, which is stable and long-lasting. The longer it lives, the more it tends to flourish, bearing fruit and enduring adversity.
True flourishing comes from finding strength in God and letting go of worry. It is about trusting that God is in control and that He will provide for our needs.
Biblical flourishing is also about focusing on others and helping them to flourish as well. It is about spreading God's glory throughout the earth and being a source of blessing to those around us.
While the world may define flourishing in terms of material prosperity and self-centred gain, God's definition is much different. He calls us to a life of righteousness, where we are in right relationship with Him, with others, and with His creation. This is the true path to flourishing, and it is available to all who put their trust in Him.
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Flourishing is about dying to self-centred desires, dreams, and demands
Biblical flourishing is missional and outward-focused. It is about being a good steward of the resources God has given us and using them to further His kingdom. This includes not only our money but also our time, energy, talents, gifts, and skills. Biblical flourishing is also wholistic, encompassing our material, psychological, spiritual, and emotional aspects.
When we live according to God's Word and will, we will truly flourish. This does not mean that our lives will be free of struggle or hardship. In fact, there may be times when we feel like we are barely holding on. But even in those difficult seasons, we can find peace and joy in God's presence.
As we die to our self-centred desires and seek to follow Christ, we will bear much fruit. This fruit is not of our own achievement but is a result of the Holy Spirit working in us. It is a slow and progressive process, and as we mature in our faith, our desires will align more and more with God's desires for us.
The path to flourishing is often uphill, but it is worth it. When we trust in God and surrender our dreams and demands, He will bring about abundant life.
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Frequently asked questions
Flourishing faith is about thriving and growing in your relationship with God. It's when you're deeply rooted in your faith and bearing fruit in your life.
Flourishing goes beyond just feeling happy or having a "good life". It's about wholeness, well-being, and righteousness in all areas of your life—material, psychological, spiritual, and emotional.
The Bible uses the Hebrew word "shalom" to describe the concept of flourishing, which means peace, salvation, wholeness, community, and more. It also talks about how we are called to help others flourish through our stewardship of God's resources.
True flourishing comes from being rooted in God and bearing fruit that glorifies Him. It's not about having material comforts or an easy life, but about growing and thriving in your relationship with God, even through challenges and trials.