Flourishing Begins with This.
Last January, a friend of mine had determined it was going to be the best year ever. Not too long after, her family was hit with devastating news that made the best year ever seem doubtful even for a very distant someday.
How often do we think that a lack of favourable circumstances in our lives makes flourishing impossible?
Flourishing sounds nice— growing or developing in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favourable environment. But for those who live in the real world, with real struggles, facing real blindsides, trying relational issues and personal weaknesses, that necessary favourable environment may feel out of reach.
But is it true? Do we need favourable circumstances to have a favourable environment for flourishing?
In Paul’s prayer found in Ephesians 3:14-20, what is the favourable environment he points to?
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
The environment where this fullness of life takes place isn’t dependent on any kind of circumstances. While it does depend on Someone’s glorious riches, power, and love, that Someone isn’t you. Paul describes the environment where all of that Someone’s glorious riches, power and love intersects with your life and it as inside of you— in your inner being, in your hearts, and within you.
How many times does Paul mention favourable circumstances? None that I counted.
The favourable environment does not dependent on favourable circumstances.
In fact, the less favourable the circumstances, the more potential for the environment of your heart to be favourable. Why? The place where seeds are planted that can take root and bear fruit or flourish in our lives is the soil of our hearts. And sometimes less than favourable circumstances are exactly what our hardened hearts need to be broken open so seeds of truth have somewhere to go. And until seeds of truth have a place to go, they won’t have a place to grow.
Before a season of flourishing, there is a season of planting. And before planting there must be breaking open the soil. What circumstances in your life are breaking you open? Are you willing to believe that God could use this breaking to cultivate the soil of your heart to receive truth that can transform you?
What will you allow God to plant in the broken wide open soil of your heart? This is how He makes room for the seeds to be sown, that will become fruit grown. Will you believe this season of breaking is creating the favourable environment in your heart to plant seeds of transforming truth?
Recently, I got to hear my friend’s niece (the one who’d personally received the bad news in the form of a diagnosis) talk about all that God did this past year in her life. She talked boldly and freely about how present God was and continues to be in her life. He was with me. Now I KNOW He will never leave me. No matter what I go through, I’ll never be alone.
Guess where God planted the seeds of truth that are now flourishing in her? In a young heart broken open by uncertainty and unthinkable suffering, that met a very present and very powerful God in the midst of it.
In the broken wide-open soil of your heart, allow God to plant what is true. Perhaps it’ll even be the very thing your unfavourable circumstances are tempting you to doubt the most.
Do you have the faith to take this first step towards flourishing?
