It’s very easy to go day in and day out without recognizing God’s favor in even the slightest of things.
Things like getting that parking space closer to the store.
Things like being sat sooner than expected at a crowded restaurant.
Things like finding the last jar of hair cream that’s on sale and today is the last day of the sale.
These all seem like mundane occurrences. Yet, something doesn’t have to be larger than life to show that God has His hands in it. There are times that God will allow special “little” things to happen to you just because He loves you and wants you to have brighter days.
What is God’s Grace?
God’s grace is simply, His unmerited favor. That means you (nor I) did (or could ever do) a thing to earn it. Simplified, it’s a gift. Unlike the money you earn from a day’s work at your job and is owed to you, God’s favor, His blessings and His mercy can not be earned. He chooses to freely give it. The beautiful thing is everyone qualifies! God shows His favor because He’s good and He wants to do good to us and for us.
How God’s Favor Develops You
Recognizing God’s favor in the smallest of things helps you in so many ways:
- It helps you to be more thankful
- It awakens your awareness to God’s presence in your life on a daily basis
- It helps with developing your faith in God
- It sets you up to “expect” God’s favor in your life (now, that’s constantly developing faith)
Things I’m Thankful For
I started keeping a “Blessings” jar earlier this year. Admittedly, I haven’t been adding to it as much as I should but when I first started it, I would make a note of all the “little” ways that God showed me favor. Sometimes His favor was shown through strangers and at other times, He showed me his gracious favor through family members or friends.
When writing about this topic of God’s favor, it made me think of the many things I am thankful for – small and large.
- I’m thankful for my health and that I’m able to get up every morning and go to work.
- I’m thankful for my job because I was displaced earlier this year and God saw to it that I got a new job at the same company. I didn’t lose any of my salary or any of my vacation time.
- I’m thankful for the favor I have at the new job. I’m able to work from home and I have flexibility to care of my son without fear of recourse.
- I’m thankful for my husband who is not the biological father to my son but helps me so much with him, ensuring he gets ready for school on time and takes his meds every day.
- I’m thankful for my son who is healthy overall, in spite of his physical limitations.
- I’m thankful that the anti-seizure drugs are working and there aren’t any serious side effects.
- I’m thankful that the Lord led us to a top notch neurologist. I don’t even remember how we found out about Him but it’s a testament to God showing His loving care for us.
You see how this works? Being thankful for just one thing reminds you of something else connected to it that you may not have been as aware of being thankful for (because it’s easy to over look God’s favor). It almost creates a sort of snow ball or domino effect.
Regardless to how God chooses to show His favor, it’s a good idea to ALWAYS be thankful. After all, He doesn’t have to do anything for us. He doesn’t owe us His life. We owe Him ours. The fact that we are alive and breathing is more than enough to be thankful for. You can be thanking God all day and still not thank Him enough. It’s just so amazing, His favor and grace.
What “little” favors from God can you recall and thank Him for?
