Favor and 2017

As many of you know who follow my blog, one of the areas of the start of my year is to pray about a word that I feel God wants me to focus on, and learn more about, and apply it to my life during the new year.  This year the word that I feel God wants me to understand and to gain more insight into is, FAVOR.  After researching a bit through various resources I found favor has many meanings:

• doing something for someone as a favor
• feeling or showing approval or preference for
• lean toward, opt for, tend toward, be in favor of
• advocate or support
• work to the advantage of
• give someone something they want
• oblige, honor gratify, indulge
• resemble someone
• treat gently, not putting full weight on
• attitude of approval
• an act of kindness beyond what is due, or usual
• the Latin favere, or favor, to show kindness to, cherish, preference

I will be sharing about the definitions above that are in italics because those are the definitions that I feel apply to what God is going to be working out in me this year.  You see, I HAVE His favor.  I do.  As in Ephesians 2 God talks about grace…the unmerited favor of God.  God shows favor to those who delight in Him, are humble and honor Him.  I believe that God seeks out those who love Him with all their hearts, and…the hard part… who also love His commands.   He wants to bless, guide, and protect those who live that way in their lives.

I have seen His favor in my life, ALL my life.  He has been so good to my husband and I!  However, I believe that when we live as He would have us to live, and our joy is in Him, He wants to give us His favor over and over again.  Now, I know we have made some mistakes, but if we are quick to repent and ask Him to forgive and get us back on track, He will.  He IS faithful.  Here is the kicker…am I willing to accept His favor, or better yet, am I willing to SEE His favor in my life?  Or, do I just think I have what I have because of how hard I have worked, or how good I think I have been?  If we know that God is right in the middle of where we are, and we know that nothing can happen apart from Him, then God is going to lavish favor on each one that believes that truth.  How does that look?  We walk closer with Him than we did last year.  We are in His Word daily.  We begin to see Him in the very things that are around us everyday.  We ask for His wisdom and guidance.  AND…we ASK for His favor.  Yes we ask for His favor over our lives, family and in every step we take.  That is what it looks like, friends.

As I said earlier, I have had God’s favor in my life.  But I have known heart ache, and I have known joy!  I have been among many, and I have been alone.  What I know is that God does approve of me.  Maybe not all my choices, but He knows I desire to keep changing and make those areas in my life that are rough, a little bit smoother.  I know if I want to walk in His favor, I must lean in toward Him.  I must show preference to Him also.  I can live a grateful life and recognize His favor and thank Him for it.  I walked through my home today and just thanked Him that I have it.  All the ways He made it happen, His provision for what needed to be done, and all the LITTLE ways He lets me know He has heard my heart.  I want to honor and gratify my Lord and Savior.  Because of my heart’s desire to live in His favor, God will honor my request because He can’t wait to lavish us with His favor!  I believe He will give me a new understanding this year of this word.  I’m excited, as always, to see what God has in store for me.  I am thinking He wants to me operate in favor towards others more than I do.  THAT may be harder. 🙂  But I am willing to walk through that door with Him.  I have seen His faithfulness in my life in BIG ways, even through all the struggles.

I know this isn’t all that God has to teach me on favor.  No. I’m expecting a deeper meaning to that word in my life that HE will teach me.  He will lead me down a path that will forever change what I think today.  I am ready and excited for that adventure.  I’m looking out my window to see what He has for me.  I pray for you, and for myself, that our lives may be overflowing with His favor this year.  His Word and the Truth of His Word are my foundation.  I plan on being a watchman on the wall watching for His favor!  I want to resemble Him!

How about you?  Have you asked God for a word for the year 2017?  If so, I would love to hear about your word and why you feel God may be highlighting that word in your life.