Flourish…

“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

Have you ever heard the saying; “flourish where you are planted?” This is an extraordinary lesson and one that is often taken lightly amongst the children of God. It is easy to look at the circumstances of your life and begin to grumble in your heart, wondering; “has God forgotten me?” The Lord has most certainly not forgotten you. You are precious in His sight and dear to His heart. The Lord loves you and desires nothing more than to prosper you and raise you up for His divine purposes. In difficult times it is vital to turn to the Word of God for truth and guidance. Through reading the Scriptures you will find invaluable lessons filled with truths and answers for your life.

In the Bible (Genesis 37-50), the Scriptures talk about a man named Joseph. Joseph was a righteous man who served and loved the Lord. He had integrity and did his best at everything he put his hand to. He was a man beloved by his earthly father, who gave him a beautiful and colorful coat. Because of this, Joseph’s brothers despised him. They were exceedingly jealous and conspired against him. Through an evil plot, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and told their father that he had died a tragic death. Joseph was sold as a slave in the land of Egypt, to one of Pharaoh’s top officials. His name was Potiphar. Joseph quickly gained favor with Potiphar and was put in charge of his entire household. The Lord blessed Potiphar’s home because of Joseph’s presence there, and Joseph grew in stature among God and man.

Potiphar had an evil wife, who continually tried to entice Joseph. Joseph refused her, and so she made up a lie about him. Because of this, he was thrown into the king’s prison without cause. Even in prison Joseph flourished. Joseph chose to make the best of this experience, and he prospered, even in the midst of the most trying and difficult circumstance. In this, God gave him favor and word spread about him throughout the prison. The warden took notice of Joseph and put him in charge of all the prisoners there.

After a period of time, the Pharaoh of the land had a dream that could not be interpreted. He was puzzled about its’ meaning, and decided to call for Joseph to inquire of him about the dream. Joseph came before the Pharaoh to give him the interpretation, as God had revealed it to him. When this took place, Pharaoh marveled and was amazed at Joseph’s wisdom. Because of this, Pharaoh honored Joseph, removed him from prison, and put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. He went from being a slave, to a prisoner, to becoming the second most powerful man in all the land.

After many years, Joseph was reunited with his brothers and his father. Joseph extended forgiveness to them, and ended up helping them during a time when there was a great famine in the land. Had it not been for Joseph’s hand of intervention in their lives, they could have starved to death and not received the help that they needed in their most critical hour. Joseph provided them with all they had need of and relocate them to the land of Egypt to be close to him.

Every difficult circumstance Joseph went through in his life, led him to the place where he ultimately ended up. Through this, he became a powerful man and was able to save the people, including his family from the great famine that swept throughout the land. God took every devastating circumstance he went through and turned it for His good. Joseph could have quit or given up, or walked away from God. But he did not. He trusted God, leaned upon Him for strength, and flourished right where he was planted. Because of this, God raised him up and exalted his life’s service; using Joseph for His glory, to make a difference in this world.

No matter what you may be walking through in your life, God is there. He is willing and able to turn around every situation you are facing. Nothing is too great for Him. All you have to do is surrender to His will, believe, and have faith in His divine purpose for your life. Although difficult at times, it is possible to flourish right where you are planted today. It may not be your ultimate destination, and it may not be an ideal circumstance for your life. But, as you are faithful and continue to press forward, God will take notice of you and place you in the positioning He has for your life. You are not forgotten. The Lord’s eye is upon you.

Today, I encourage you to trust Him no matter what you may be walking through. I encourage you to keep moving forward, and to believe that God has a plan for you and will see you through every difficult circumstance.

You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I give You my life and ask that You would fill me with Your presence and Your Holy Spirit. I ask that You would give me the courage and the strength that I need to make it through every trying circumstance, and I ask that You would help me to flourish in every aspect and stage of my life. I ask for Your love, strength, and mercy.

In Jesus Mighty Name I Pray,

Amen