What does God’s favor look like?
The other day I shared a small hardship I was facing with someone and the first response I received was, ‘I’m sorry.’
I’m sure it was meant to be comforting and more a, “Oh man, that’s hard and I’ve been there” kinda’ way…
But, it got me thinking about these struggles we go through in this life.
Why are we sorry to have to go through them?
This world… our culture… teaches us that an abundant life is a ‘trouble-free’ life. We do everything we can to keep from experiencing hardship, don’t we?
Sure, hardship hurts.
But, what if the only way to an abundant life is to go through the refiner’s fire?
Would we go more willingly?
Do I dare take this a step further?
I’ll admit that usually the first thing out of my mouth when things get tough… even if it’s just the daily grind (or, perhaps that is when it is more likely), is a complaint.
“Really, Lord?”
Or…
“Haven’t we had enough?”
“How much do you think I can handle?”
“What did I do to deserve this?”
Bo Stern shared at our women’s retreat last spring how we tend to think that the ‘American Dream’ is evidence of God’s favor.
Here’s the thing.
God’s favor really has nothing to do with the things on this earth.
Our King is interested in our hearts… and will use the things in this life to mold and shape us to be more of His character.
We have been studying Abraham – and this last week was about when Abraham was asked to take Isaac to sacrifice him as a burnt offering.
Do you know the story?
Here Abraham has been promised by God that Isaac would be the fulfillment of a promise made to him… that he would be the father to many nations. Yet, on this day, recorded in Genesis 22, Abraham was being asked to take Isaac and sacrifice him. Abraham willingly did… trusting that God would be true to his promise – and just as Abraham brought the knife up to slaughter Isaac for the sacrifice, he was stopped.
What if Abraham wasn’t stopped?
The thing is – even if God didn’t stop Abraham and Isaac was killed, God would still be God. He would still be Jehovah… and He would still be Jehovah-Jirah – the all sufficient One who provides.
See, Abraham trusted with everything in him that… even if Isaac was to die – God would keep His promise… because that is how God is. He might have to raise Isaac from the dead, but Abraham trusted God to keep His promise – and go to ‘extremes’ if necessary.
Why?
Because Abraham KNEW His God.
When we bought our home – it was a long, difficult process. I won’t go into the details – but, it was something in my own life that I wanted badly. We almost lost the house – and with it, the opportunity to purchase for a long time. We closed three weeks later than we were suppose to. Those three weeks seemed like an eternity in so many ways – so much happened… and not just logistically, but also in my own heart.
I was brought to a place where I had to choose… was I willing to trust that whether we got the house or not – my God was still God. He never promised us a house… or any comfort for that matter… We certainly didn’t deserve this.
I remember leaning against my son’s bed – having just gotten off the phone sobbing. And out of my sobs I prayed… “Okay Lord. It isn’t about the house. Whether you give it or take it away, I will trust in You… and trust you to use this in my life and every life that is involved in this process. If we are drawn to you in the process of losing this house, I offer it to you.”
It might sound trivial… seriously, it is just a house, and sales fall through all the time.
But, this really wasn’t about the house at all.
It was about me and my heart – and whether or not I was going to trust my God.
There are bad things that happen in this world.
Bad things happening to good people… and we wonder why – but that is the world’s thinking. We believe that if we are good… or if we have gained God’s favor somehow that bad things won’t happen – but they do, don’t they.
I don’t know what is ahead for us in our journey with unemployment. I don’t know if my husband will be finding a full time job, a part time job… if this ministry he is pursuing will take off and help us financially. I don’t know if we will have to sell one of our cars to put food on the table… or if we will lose our home eventually.
One thing I do know, is my God.
And very slowly… I am beginning to realize that God’s favor doesn’t have much to do with my circumstances.
God’s favor looks like Him walking along side me through the valley of death or the mountain top of joy. It is HIM – with me – that is His favor.
He doesn’t necessarily take the storms away… but He gets in the boat with us through it all.
He doesn’t necessarily remove the battle… in fact, I tend to think that it is His favor for us to go into the battlefield because only there can we experience Him and how He fights for and with us.
We are not promised a battle-free life.
In fact, quite the opposite if you are a follow of Jesus.
Our culture… this world, has it backwards if you ask me.
I have fallen into this way of thinking as well.
Seriously.
Who wants hardship?!
Who wants to hurt?
Who wants to walk through the valley of death?
And, who in the world wants to suffer?
The thing is…
What if…
What if the only way to experience the depth of the love and care our Lord has for us is through these battles?
Job.
A man who was blamed for not being in God’s favor because of his horrible circumstances says, “You have granted me life and favor, and Your care has preserved my spirit.” Job 10:12
He knew that God’s favor was not about his circumstances but about his heart.
Sure, our King cares about our suffering.
Remember how Jesus wept when Lazarus died (even though He knew He would bring him back to life.)?
He is a compassionate God…
He is not unaware.
He sees.
He knows.
But, He allows these difficult times to open our eyes to His favor that goes way deeper than what is going on around us.
We can trust Him and find comfort even in the darkest of circumstances because we know Him…we know His character and His deep love for us.
