While I might say that I’m wrapping up this series today, the truth is that every single post I share is about God’s favor on us. In one way or another, I write with the goal of sharing God’s goodness and highlighting His grace. I want everyone to see the beauty and reality of freedom we have when we live in relationship with our Father. We have so much more than we can fathom because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross… so much more than many believe.
There are a lot of people who do not believe that God is pleased with them. They feel burdened with the weight of guilt and condemnation. Some have this idea that they’re only righteous until the next time they mess up or step out of line. To run with that hot garbage, why would they ever have any expectation of being favored, blessed, or having a hope of being prosperous? There are a lot of Christians that feel broken and do not believe they are acceptable to God.
With all of those doubts, it’s pretty understandable that we wouldn’t believe ourselves to be the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ either. And if we’re not in right standing with God, how would we ever have any confidence to approach the throne of grace for anything? I once heard a pastor in a little church in Alaska state that God can’t hear our prayers when we have sin in our life. Um, how does anyone get saved then?
With this series focused on the fortunate favor we have with God, I’m going to wrap it up with another area of favor that really hit me these last few weeks. The Christian life – a saved-by-grace-through-faith life – is not always sunshine and rainbows… but what does that mean? Do we walk through these trials because God is not pleased with us, we messed up and are no longer acceptable in His eyes… our robes of righteousness have become muddied? Did God take a vacation from abiding in us?
These are very real thoughts that so many people have. We get sick or injured and we start looking at what we might have done to step out of God’s favor. We lose a job or have a financial set-back and we start thinking that we’re no longer as blessed as we were before. Guys, it’s hard for me to even write these things! Some people even believe that God gives us and orchestrates horrible things in order to teach us lessons!
I’ve gone through a few book studies by a few mainstream Christian speakers. One of them stated that God will give the devil the nod to wreak havoc in our lives. Another claimed that sometimes God will cause a spouse to have an affair or will cause a death because a wilderness season would be good for us. What?! But a few seconds later in the video teaching, or a few paragraphs later in the book, they go on and on about God’s love for us and how we’re wrapped up in His grace, mercy, and love.
It’s no wonder we struggle with, well, struggles. We believe that God is for us, but only when He’s not causing bad things to happen to us. If anyone is needing some scripture right now, if God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)? Or how about God reassuring us that if anyone does attack us, it will not be from His hand (Isaiah 54:15)? For my elementary-level mind, I often refer back to a very basic statement. God is good, so good comes from God. The devil is bad, so bad comes from the devil. What source are we focused on?
But we still sometimes struggle with the struggles.
And I’m here today to point you to some comfort when you do.
“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:9-13 NIV
This passage is highlighted in my Bible – the Bible I bought myself back in January of 2008 – and I’m not sure when exactly I did the highlighting. But while reading in Isaiah the other morning, it hit me again how favored and blessed Jesus made us to be. Even when we’re facing opposition, the God of all existence is on our side!
There are a great number of Christians who believe that if the economy is bad, then we’re going to struggle just like the world struggles. If there’s a pandemic, we’re going to be just as sick as everyone else. Unfortunately, I often relate to that. I easily forget that just as Jesus is not of this world, I’m not of this world either (John 17:16). I have the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2:16) and the Holy Spirit to teach and guide me in all truth (John 16:13-15). And if that wasn’t awesome enough, as Jesus is right now, so am I in this world (I John 4:17).
We might find ourselves in a wilderness like the Israelites wondered through for a while, but they always had all they needed. They had food every single day, they had supernatural threads, they had watering holes as soon as they had thirst, and they had gold enough to build themselves some idols. God led them both day and night – His presence was visible (Exodus 13:21-22)! They built and worshipped idols, they grumbled and complained, they rejected relationship and opted for rules – yet God still chose them as His people.
We may not have a pillar of cloud or fire as tangible evidence of His presence, but we have something so much more superior than what they had: We have the Holy Spirit abiding in us. He’ll never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), His covenant of peace and unfailing love will never be shaken or removed (Isaiah 54:10), and when we are firmly planted in Him, we will always have what we need to bear fruit no matter what is going on in the world around us (Jeremiah 17:7-8).
When we go through the struggles – because we will – we need to remember Who we belong to and that He takes care of His kiddos.
Read aloud – I am more than a conqueror because of God who lives in me. I have the mind of Christ and as He is right now, so am I in this world. There is no weapon – spiritual, physical, or emotional – that can prosper against me. No matter what I face, God is with me and I will come out on the other side victorious… always.
This is beyond what we could have ever asked for or imagined! Being redeemed by God, He’s on our side, He’s fighting our battles, and we have a covenant of peace with Him. I know that this post is nowhere near sufficient in expressing God’s goodness towards us. Even add in the other two posts in this series and it still doesn’t even scratch the surface of how loved we are.
So if you’re walking in a wilderness right now, if you’re struggling with the struggles, I pray that this post reminds you of how precious you are to God – how deeply loved and cherished. No matter what you are up against, God is right there with you, and we can trust that He will bring us out on the other side victorious.