Flourishing

Hi! How are you all? I am good. I went to a writers conference on the weekend and just thought that I would share my devotion with you. Let me know what you think and how it speaks to you. I have adapted it slightly.

The theme of the conference was flourishing.  So how do we flourish in life as a Christian? We would all have numerous suggestions of how this could work.  However, what does God’s Word say about flourishing?

But first let’s have a look at the meaning of flourishing.  In the Oxford dictionary, it means developing rapidly and successfully.  However, is this really what it means in the Word of God.  It seems to me that in my life I have not developed neither rapidly nor successfully.  Generally, there is a process to be had.

The verse that I want us to ponder on this topic is Psalm 52:8 and in the NIV version it reads:

“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.”

Flourishing in this verse is tied to our trust in God.  Is that what God wants to develop in us rapidly and successfully? I believe it is – it is only when we trust in God fully and wholeheartedly that we flourish – we know the right path to walk, when to walk it, how far to walk and what to do whilst walking on the path.  Trusting in God means that we have an intimacy with God that enables us to hear His voice clearly.  How is your trust in God?

The verse above also tells us that we are like an olive tree flourishing.  Let’s have a look at a few characteristics on the olive tree.

Here are three characteristics of olive trees that we should be striving for in our Christian walk.

1. Longevity – olive trees can live for a very long time.

Let’s imagine for a minute that we are in an olive grove of trees.  We will use our imagination and just think of what the olive tree has seen in its hundreds of years of existence.  It has been through ups and downs but still it is still planted and still thriving.

Longevity in the Christian walk is living out our Christian walk until the day we go to be with Jesus.  It is not having a mediocre relationship with Jesus where if our lives are going great – we are all out for Jesus but if our lives are experiencing hard times, we leave Jesus in the corner.  No – longevity in our Christian walk means we flourish in whatever season we are in.  If our life is not going good, we keep going – if it is going good – we still keep going.  We need longevity in our walk with God.

2. Prolific – the olive tree starts producing fruit around 5 years old and continues throughout even up to thousands of years.

What does this have to do with us as a Christian? .  Our calling from God if we truly operate in it and the fruit from it will keep producing long after we are celebrating with Jesus in heaven.  I was reading the story of Leonardo Da Vinci – he sold only a few paintings in his lifetime.  But after his death, his sister-in-law persisted in showing his paintings until one day, at an exhibition in Paris they were finally noticed.  He is now considered one of the greats of the art world but only after his death.  His works kept going and are still prolific today.  We want the same – we want our lives to keep impacting others long after we have left this earth.

3. Resilience – olive trees can survive in frost as well as in harsh summers.

As Christians, we need to be resilient.  We will have harsh seasons as well as easy seasons.  There may be times when we struggle to connect with God or go to Church because of illness, tiredness or other things. In those times, we need to remember that it is only a season. Be careful not to let the season drag you away from your relationship with God.

Seasons are good for us as Christians and we don’t often recognise the season we are in.

In conclusion, let’s be like an olive tree in our Christian walk– with longevity, prolific and resilient.

I want to leave you with one of my favourite Psalms – Psalm 1 in the Message Bible which states:

“How well God must like you – you don’t walk in the ruts of those blind-as-bats, you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings, you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

Instead, you thrill to God’s Word, you chew on Scripture day and night.  You’re a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf, always in blossom.

You’re not at all like the wicked who are mere windblown dust – without defence in court, unfit company for innocent people.

God charts the road you take.  The road they take leads to nowhere.”

I pray this has blessed you. Until next time keep living the life God intended for you.

Bless you

Karen