American Bible Society just released the third chapter of the State of the Bible 2023 report entitled, “Flourishing and Hope.” In this chapter we explore what effect the Bible has on our well-being. We also glean insights on how to pray for Americans to experience greater human flourishing despite life’s ups and downs.

Flourishing and Hope

The data for this chapter came from over 2,700 online interviews where two sets of questions were asked, one on Human Flourishing and the other on Persevering Hope. The self-reported results then yielded a Flourishing Index score on Harvard’s Human Flourishing Index.

This year’s survey results reveal that Practicing Christians—those at a fairly high degree of religious commitment—flourish in every domain of human experience including the “Happiness & Life Satisfaction” and “Meaning & Purpose” domains.

They didn’t receive high scores because they face less challenges than non-Christians. Christians go through the same troubles as everyone else, but they tend to view those hardships with a different filter. Their worldview is shaped by the Bible’s message of hope. The Bible prepares us for life’s challenges and gives us divine resources to deal with them. This allows believers to flourish and persevere.

The apostle Paul, having endured persecution, imprisonment, and shipwreck, persevered through his faith in Jesus. He said, “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me (Philippians 4:13 GNT).

Our prayer is that all Americans will draw strength from Paul’s words and many more promises found in Scripture. Join us as we pray that Americans will experience Jesus’s presence and flourish as they connect with the truths found in his Word.

How You Can Pray

Here are three ways you can pray. Pray for:

• People across America. Pray that people will deepen their relationship with God by daily engaging with Scripture and being part of a vibrant church community.
• Churches. Pray that churches will find new and creative ways to promote Scripture Engagement among Non-Practicing Christians so that they will become committed to the faith and experience higher levels of hope, happiness, and purpose.
• State of the Bible 2023 Report. Pray that this research will help inform churches and faith-based ministries across America in understanding how best to minister to the people they serve.

To download the first three chapters of State of the Bible 2023, visit StateoftheBible.org