What does it mean to flourish? How can we flourish in our daily lives? in our spiritual lives? in our messy lives?

These are the questions that I endeavored to answer during 2021. I chose the word flourish to guide my time with God and give focus to my writing and everyday decisions.

For several years I’ve adopted the practice of choosing one word to provide a focus for the next 365 days. Sometimes my intended focus has fallen flat like so many New Year’s resolutions. I knew I needed to do more than simply choose a word to make it a guiding force for my life, so I became more proactive in studying and implementing my own word. I did things like studying the meaning of the word, reading books on the topic, and finding Scriptures using the chosen word. If you would like to learn more about this process and get a free guide titled, “7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Word of the Year” read this article.

What Does It Mean To Flourish?

I chose the word flourish because I was in the process of writing a book about how God defines success (a book scheduled to hit the shelves in July 2022!). I thought about choosing the word success but decided on one of its synonyms because I loved the sound of flourish.

Looking up the word in the dictionary, I discovered that flourish means:

As a verb:

1. to grow luxuriantly
2. to achieve success, to reach a height of development or influence

As a noun:

1. a florid bit of speech or writing, an ornamental stroke in writing or printing
2. a period of thriving, a luxuriant growth or profusion

In Hebrew, one of the words sometimes translated as flourish is raʿănān meaning “to be or grow luxuriant or fresh or green.” Flourishing implies lush, abundant growth.

Putting it all together, to flourish is to experience abundant growth and improvement, to thrive and succeed.

What Does Flourishing Look Like In My Everyday Life?

This is one of the questions I pondered while writing my book about success in God’s eyes. After studying eight people in the Bible who experienced worldly failure but heavenly success, I would boil down all the lessons I learned into one principle:

Flourishing means living in my sacred worth as God’s beloved child. This frees me from a constant search for validation through achievement and making a name for myself. I can flourish when I remember to whom I belong!

When I remember this truth, disappointments still hurt, but don’t hit me as hard if I remember my position as someone God loves dearly. I can work from a position of already being loved and cherished instead of striving to prove myself. For me, this changes everything!

11 More Ways to Flourish

Another way I studied the concept of “flourish” was to memorize Bible verses that either contained the word “flourish” or “success.” Here are some of the lessons I learned from God’s Word.

1. I flourish when I trust in God’s unfailing love:

But I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 NIV)

2. Flourishing isn’t arriving, but growing. It happens when I trust in God’s righteousness instead of my own resources:

Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,
    but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. (Proverbs 11:28 ESV)

3. I flourish when I spend time with God:

They are planted in the house of the Lord;
    they flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:13 ESV)

4. Returning to God, repenting of my sins, and dwelling in God’s mercy will make me flourish like the grass–which grows abundantly. These actions will also help me blossom–display God’s beauty–and bring fame–help others notice God, not me:

They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;
    they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
    their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. (Hosea 14:7 ESV)

5. God enables me to flourish. He makes it happen:

You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the Lord, have created it. (Isaiah 45:8 NIV)

6. I flourish because of God’s righteousness:

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
¹³ planted in the house of the Lord,
    they will flourish in the courts of our God. (Psalm 92:12-13 NIV)

7. Flourishing is not chasing success in an attempt to surpass others:

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless—like chasing the wind. (Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT)

8. I flourish when I focus on steadfast love and faithfulness–both God’s love and faithfulness toward me and when I act loving and faithful:

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success
    in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4 ESV)

9. I flourish when I meditate on God’s Word and obey it:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8 NIV)

10. I flourish when I receive godly counsel.

Plans go wrong for lack of advice;
    many advisers bring success. (Proverbs 15:22 NLT)

11. I flourish when I sharpen my skills.

If the ax is dull
    and its edge unsharpened,
more strength is needed,
    but skill will bring success. (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

I pray that you will flourish in the year ahead!

Next step: If you want to flourish through choosing one word to guide your year, consider using my free resource, “7 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Word of the Year.” Get it here.