Gods favor

Lately I've been praying for Gods favor. I want him to have his hand on everything I do and everything I am a part of. Gods favor isn't necessarily designed to make our lives perfect though. Gods favor is designed for us to fulfill his purpose in our lives. When we look at Gods favor in the bible an example is when Mary finds out she's pregnant with Jesus. The angel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Do you think at first she thinks she has Gods favor, I bet she's probably terrified. She just found out she was pregnant and she is a virgin. Then an angel comes and tells her she's favored. She had no clue in the moment what amazing plans God had for her. Our purpose for Gods kingdom is going to be hard. We're going to be prosecuted and judged. When we live out his will for us it doesn't mean that we won't experience that, because the bible definitely tells us we will, but it means God gave me this purpose and he is going to be with me to do this thing! I wish Gods favor meant roses and lilies everywhere I went, but more than that it means him bringing us through his will in our life. So God what is your will for my life? What purpose do you have for me? I know that you will help me accomplish your kingdom here on earth. Those are the questions and statements we should be asking if we haven't. Everyone's looks different. For me I see things differently when I'm living out his purpose. I feel his favor. To describe it I feel like I'm in the right place spiritually, a sense of peace.
     I do think God can give us favor wherever we go if we are living for him, but that doesn't mean everything for us will be perfect. Take a look at Joseph.

Genesis 39:3,4,5
When his master (Joseph's master) saw that the Lord was with him(Joseph) and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and because his attendant......(verse 5) the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.

Joseph was well-built and handsome, and his masters wife had her eyes on him. She repeatedly tried to get Joseph to sleep with her, but he always said no. One day she caught him by his cloak...

Genesis 39:11-23
One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me?" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house. When she saw that he had left his cloak in her hand and had run out of the house, she called her household servants. "Look," she said to them, "this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us? He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home, Then she told him this story: 'That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house." When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, "This is how your slave treated me," he burned with anger. Joseph's master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph's care, because the Lord was with Joseph and give him success in whatever he did.

Reading this shows us that Joseph had trials and even went to prison. No matter where he went though, the Lord had his hand in everything he did and everywhere he went. Jesus DOES NOT promise us life to be easy, but when we have his favor and are drawing close to him and his purpose in our life things can go a lot smoother. Think if Joseph had slept with the woman...I don't think the Lord would have given him favor with the warden. I think Joseph had favor because of the man he was. Even though Joseph was in prison for over two years, when he got out he ruled Egypt. Talk about God's favor.

I want to have God's favor and live out his purpose for me. His purpose for you will look different. When we follow him and commit to him it opens up the door for his blessings to come into our life. It can make the rough places smooth. Think and pray about your purpose and go after it. You only have one life, so live it to the fullest for the King of Kings. Let others see that you have God's favor on you like Joseph.

prayer:
Father, thank you for your favor on my life. Let me continue to find and fulfill the purposes you have for me. Bless all that I do for you, so others may see and come to glorify you. We pray in your Sons precious name.
Amen.