There’s a trap the enemy tries to seduce Christ followers with by drawing a conclusion that success in this world equates with God’s favor upon us. Psalms 84:11 says “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” But what if God’s favor doesn’t look the way our world sees success? What if the Christian martyr who is slain in the name of Jesus did not find favor with people or in the land and yet still had God’s favor to be there?
God’s favor is His presence. His spirit that guides our daily walk to bring back glory to Him. So often we seek success by our own strength; if I practice more, if I move to that place, if I had those attributes, then I will have ‘made it’. But we forget that God’s favor rarely translates into riches and fame in this foreign land. God’s favor comes from obedience to His spirit and word.
Our illustration for the favor of God is in the life of Jesus himself. He didn’t receive many warm welcomes with His messages, especially from the ‘rich’. Jesus warned “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heaven.” And just because you don’t have much money doesn’t mean you are exempt from this passage. Covetousness for riches and ‘stuff’ can be hidden in your heart. When Jesus spoke, He gave all credit and fame to God the Father.
By the worlds standards, favor looks more like the kings, rulers and Babylonians drawing crowds with popular beliefs and messages. After all, there are many stories of evil people in scripture who were allowed success. Today we see it too. And while it can be difficult to watch other’s gain popularity and ‘success’ around you, let Jesus’s words be a reminder of the Truth that goes beyond what you can see. “I say to you, do not worry about your life…” God reminds us to be careful only about one thing—our relationship to Him. “The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches,” and the lust for other things will choke out the life of God in us (Matthew 13:22).
Jesus knows our circumstances better than we do, and He says we must not think about these things to the point where they become the primary concern of our life. Place your confidence in Christ that when you throw off the world’s desires for your life and walk in God’s favor, you can expect to see a “thiryfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold return” (Mark 4:8, 20).
Lord, I choose you. Always. Forever. First. You are so good to me. You have ravished my heart with your beauty that goes beyond any riches this world has to offer. Help my heart not get caught up in what my eyes can see. May my gaze and attention be fixed on you, I press into you. All of my love is for you. You are the reason that I live and breathe. You bring life to me. I just love you God.
Very true Trisha! I’m working hard at growing my faith and trying to leave results in His hands. I have times I struggle and wish for things and financial gain, but ultimately none of that matters. I can’t always control my circumstances, but I can always choose my response. Good piece, as usual.
Amen brother! I’ve been a Christ follower since I was 12, but honestly, when I look back on my life, it was during the times that I had success by the world’s measures that my spirit was at its furthest from God. I was so caught up in ‘this world’ that I didn’t have the time to listen and pursue the things of God. And isn’t that just the thing though… The things of God point the glory to Him and bypass us. But when we’re caught up achieving success and riches, the focus is about us! Sadly, the devil can ‘spiritualize’ just about anything and so we get sucked into this trap of thinking we’re on the highway to heaven while we’re on a downward spiral to hell.
Very true Trisha! I’m working hard at growing my faith and trying to leave results in His hands. I have times I struggle and wish for things and financial gain, but ultimately none of that matters. I can’t always control my circumstances, but I can always choose my response. Good piece, as usual.
Amen brother! I’ve been a Christ follower since I was 12, but honestly, when I look back on my life, it was during the times that I had success by the world’s measures that my spirit was at its furthest from God. I was so caught up in ‘this world’ that I didn’t have the time to listen and pursue the things of God. And isn’t that just the thing though… The things of God point the glory to Him and bypass us. But when we’re caught up achieving success and riches, the focus is about us! Sadly, the devil can ‘spiritualize’ just about anything and so we get sucked into this trap of thinking we’re on the highway to heaven while we’re on a downward spiral to hell.