“A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,
favor is better than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1, NASB

Favor Defined

Favor is a concept that comes up during the Christmas season when reading the biblical story of the birth of Christ. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was one who found favor with God (Luke 1:26‐30), thus she was chosen to bear God’s one and only Son. I can’t wait to meet her in Heaven and hear her account of the story from a first person point‐of‐view!

There were also many other people in the Bible who, due to their devotion to God, were greatly blessed by Him. Here’s a list of some of those that the Bible specifically mentions found favor with God:

  • Noah (Gen. 6:8‐9)
  • Abraham (Gen. 18:3‐5)
  • Joseph (Gen. 39:21, Acts 7:9‐10)
  • Moses (Ex. 33:12‐14)
  • The Israelites (Ps. 44:1‐3)
  • Gideon (Jdg. 6:16‐18)
  • Samuel (I Sam. 2:26)
  • David (I Sam. 16:22, Acts 7:46)
  • Esther (Esther 2:9 and 2:15)
  • Daniel (Daniel 1:9)
  • Zacharias & Elizabeth—parents of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5‐6)
  • Jesus (Luke 2:52)

These biblical recipients of God’s favor were shown exceptional kindness, blessed beyond measure, and shown grace (all definitions of the word “favor”) because God was pleased with their faith, humility, and obedience (even in times of trials!). Modeling their examples in our own lives is a great challenge, but does God have more to say about how to find favor in His sight?

Finding God’s Favor

“The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him,
but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”
Ezra 8:22b, NASB

As Christians, we should faithfully live our lives focused on things above (Col. 3:1‐3), things not of this earth, living day to day in ways that please Him. It’s all about our lifestyle, pursuits, and making good choices.

Use the following list to rate how you are doing in living a life that pleases God. Look up the verses for the ones you still have a ways to go on and then spend some time in prayer asking the Lord to help you improve in those areas.

  • Know and seek God (Prov. 8:35, Ex. 33:12‐14, Ezra 8:22b)
  • Fear God (Ps. 147:11)
  • Seek His favor with all of your heart (Ps. 119:58)
  • Keep His commandments (Prov. 3:1‐4, Luke 1:5‐6, Luke 1:38, Daniel 9:13‐14)
  • Turn from iniquity/sin (Daniel 9:13‐14)
  • Grow in wisdom (Luke 2:52, Prov. 8:35, 14:35)
  • Pray (2 Cor. 1:11, Job 33:26)
  • Seek good and be kind (Prov. 11:27, Titus 3:8, Prov. 12:2, Prov. 3:3‐4)
  • Be truthful (Prov. 3:3‐4)
  • Patiently bear unjust hardships for God (1 Peter 2:19‐20)
  • Help the helpless (Ps. 41:1‐2, Ps. 112:9, Matt. 25:34‐36)
  • Find a good spouse (Prov. 18:22)
    *Not a requirement for all (for example: Jesus and Samuel)
  • Have Humility (Luke 1:38a)
  • Have Faith (Hebrews 11:1‐2 and 11: 6)

That last one, have faith, is especially important. The Bible dedicates an entire chapter (Heb. 11, the biblical “Hall of Faith”) to role models who pleased God and “gained approval through their faith” (v. 1‐2, 39). In fact, Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Rewarded by God

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?
If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” Galatians 1:10, NASB

While we should keep our hearts in check in our search for God’s favor, making sure we are aiming to please Him and not ourselves or man, the Bible gives us many examples of how God may bless you in your journey to live a life focused on pleasing Him. Such amazing blessings from our Heavenly Father!

  • Gift of salvation (Ps. 106:4)
    *This cannot be earned by works, but must be received though faith (Eph. 2:8‐9)
  • Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4‐7)
  • All of our needs being met (Philippians 4:18‐19)
    *Not necessarily our wants but definitely our needs
  • Grace (Ps. 119:58, Malachi 1:9a)
  • Peace (Num. 6:24‐26)
  • Blessings (Ps. 5:12, Job 10:12, Ps. 23:5‐6, Ruth 2:10‐13, Eph. 1:3)
  • Compassion (Is. 60:10, Daniel 1:9)
  • Protection (Ps. 5:12, Ps. 41:1‐2, Ps. 41:10‐11, Ps. 30:7a, Daniel 9:13‐14)
  • It lasts a lifetime (Ps. 30:5)
  • He prospers us (Gen. 39:2‐4, Deut. 33:23
    *Not always materially
  • Favor with others (Acts 2:46‐47, Ex. 3:21 and 11:3, Daniel 1:9)
  • He establishes our work (Ps. 90:17)

It is important to remember that finding favor with God does not give us a free pass to an easy life. Go back to the list of Bible characters in the first portion of this lesson and think about how many trials those favored people endured. As one website puts it, “God sometimes takes those He loves through special trials. Job is the primary example but similar instances happen in the lives of many”. Moses also thought he had not found favor with God because of the burden he endured with the stubborn people of Israel (see Num. 11:11). When you have a heart after God’s own heart, He may choose to use you in ways that may be hard, yet significant in the eyes of eternity.

Our Response

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name.”
Luke 1:49, NASB

When God finds His children living their lives for Him and those around them, He usually grants them favor. Our response should be to praise Him and spread the news of His goodness and salvation with others.

  • Mary exalted the Lord (Luke 1:46‐49)
  • Zacharias praised God (Luke 1:64 and 1:68)
  • Isaiah took the good news to the afflicted, brokenhearted, captives, and prisoners (Is. 61:1)
  • The First Century church preached the good news with a focus on prayer and praise for God, and He added to their numbers daily (Acts 2:47)

Will our response be like the saints in Hebrews 11:7‐40? They were made strong from their weaknesses (v. 34) because of their faith; they found favor with God and were greatly blessed. But, it’s not only Bible characters that can receive God’s favor. May we all keep running “with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb. 12:1‐2a)!