A Life of Flourishing (and Not Settling for “Good Enough”)
Do you believe you can flourish? Can you imagine yourself filled with joy? Can you imagine yourself feeling free?
You forget how good it is to depend upon Me. Remember how Jesus, my Son, relied upon Me. He was completely dependent, trusting Me for everything He needed. You may be taking for granted what you need to thrive.
You may be settling for "good enough" and believe that being a tree—that is not dead, a bit withered, a bit stressed, and troubled—is you—and that that is "good enough." You may have decided that living a life that produces little fruit is perfectly fine—that this life is "good enough."
Why do you settle? Why do you not expect more from a life with Me—where I nourish you?
Practice coming to Me, day and night—and in all moments in between. I will give you what you need to thrive. But first, destroy the ways you are not dependent on Me. What are those habits? What are those mindsets? What are those strongholds? Where did they surface and have such control in your life? I can show you. Do you want Me to show you?
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We often forget what happens underground, in the soil, to get a tree's branches to bloom. When we look outside our windows or take walks, we observe a tree and notice whether it is blooming or not; we notice the health of its leaves. However, we might consider the tree's foundation little: what happens within the soil and what feeds the roots to ensure the tree's flourishing.
We often settle in life. We feel its challenges, heartaches, and trials but struggle logically to make sense of the possibility that our lives can be better.
What is important to remember is that what is truly "better" is not the "better" our culture uses as an enticement: the better of monetary wealth and fame. The Lord's " better " is flourishing, freedom, joy, and hope that is not dependent on circumstances. This "better" is more than that: it is a reality rooted in dependence—and surrender—to Him. It is rooted in trusting in God more than in ourselves. It is a life rooted in love and trust, the life of a child and her Dad.
In today's Encounter, we get to join our Heavenly Father’'s invitation to explore what a life of flourishing looks like through His eyes—what we have been settling for instead and how to adjust our perspective and reject the things holding us back.
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To begin, go to a place where you can be undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. Get comfortable, perhaps removing anything from your lap and your hands and, with your eyes closed, breathing in and out deeply for a few moments.
As you breathe, pray. Invite the Holy Spirit to lead you, helping you identify and give Him anything that might interfere with your focus on Him now.
Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit fill my heart with your presence. Help me to experience your love now. I give You every worry and concern that fills my mind. I breathe deeply and receive You. Help me to be present with You with a full, open heart.
Stay here for a few moments with your eyes closed. Breathing in….and out…mindful of your emotions and God's presence.
Then, read the following verses, perhaps silently, at first, and then, maybe, out loud. Don't rush. Try to spend three, five, or ten minutes on each set. Ask God to decipher the meaning of these verses for you. What is He saying, uniquely, to you?
"They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit" (Jeremiah 17:8)."Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing" (Ezekiel 47:12).
"Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers" (Psalm 43:1-3).
Now, continue your conversation with God, but do so as you walk or look out of a window and observe a tree or plant for at least 20 minutes. Study it. Consider all that you can see, smell, and physically see. Then, ask God to help you look at the tree through the eyes of your heart.
Lord, as I look at this tree, show me what You see and how it relates to my life. Show me what You want me to know.
Look at the tree or plant's foundation. Consider the soil and what is going on underground. Acknowledge God's provision of your foundation. Contemplate what He gives you and how He wants to nourish you more.
Father, what does the foundation of my life look like? What do You see? How are You holding me up, filling my life with what I need to flourish and grow?
Next, observe the tree or plant's health—its colors, posture, flowers, and/or fruit. How does it need pruning? What daily maintenance does it need?
Lord, how is my life like this plant? What do you see that I don't? How are you caring for me—and how do you invite me to surrender and trust You so You can care for me more? What, in me, are you pruning? What are You inviting me to surrender to you (specific shame, regret, lies, pride, etc.) so you can prune and help me flourish more effectively?
Now, if you'd like, reread the words from Holy Spirit to us at the very top of the page. Respond to Him in your journal.
You also might want to consider engaging with Him on the following questions:
What do you want to prune in me, Lord?
What do I need right now to grow—be nourished and not depleted? (How am I depleted? Will You show me?)
What do You want to give me for my flourishing, and what do You want to take away?
With your journal out, continue your conversation with God. Let your heart lean in and listen. Be honest. Don't hold back your feelings. Listen closely, with your beautiful, open heart, to all that He has to say about your flourishing. You may even want to draw a picture in your journal of what He shows you.
Amen.
