The Prosperity Gospel

pros·per succeed in material terms; be financially successful: “his business prospered” flourish physically; grow strong and healthy: “areas where gray squirrels cannot prosper” ARCHAIC make successful: “God has wonderfully prospered this nation” Recently, Anna derisively mentioned the “prosperity gospel.” As I understand it, this phrase means that following God inevitably results in financial wealth and physical wellbeing. Of course, Father has never promised that following Him will always result in anything besides spiritual strength, but I can see where some would interpret passages like Alma 36:1 to so indicate. That being said, I have noticed that when I begin my day with prayer and scripture study, the day just goes better; and I’m not sure I’ve ever once lost my job during a period when my prayers for help in my work ascended beyond the occasional, surface-level petition. Certainly when I lost my job with Beezwax (last week), any semblance of regular prayer or scripture study had completely fallen by the wayside. Conversely, when I’ve given Father the time that He and I both need and deserve (e.g. during my full-time mission), I’ve definitely been more prosperous. That doesn’t always come in the form of money or converts or anything that can be physcially measured, but it comes in the form of happiness, of joy, of peace, of more fully approaching the likeness of God. And in my book, that is the most prosperous thing I can imagine.