“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” Jam. 4:2-3
“I want more favor than I’ve ever had,” I prayed to the Lord as I waited while three of my sweet dogs nosed their way around the ground during their morning bathroom break. “Not for me, but for you.” Tears. I was astounded, deeply moved, by how the Lord has changed me.
“You’re spoiled,” my ex-husband told me long ago. I denied his accusation. He wasn’t just right. He understated the truth. I was beyond description spoiled – and selfish. Self-consumed. While professing to believe in the Lord – and to love Him. Sure, I wanted favor then. I wanted all my prayers answered. All my wishes and wants to come true. For God to watch me wave my wand and give me more than imaginable favor.
Not so anymore. Like I saw that morning when I prayed to Him. Something has changed. Much has changed, if you want to know the truth. I no longer live for me. I live for Him. I don’t want endless blessings for me. I want endless blessings for Him. Endless blessings so that every ounce of provision He gives me, every ounce of blessing, every ounce of favor, are seeds, are provision, are equipping, are ability, etc. for me to love, worship, and serve Him to the utmost – to the maximum, forever!
Everything He blesses me with, I want to serve Him with. Everything He gives to me, I want to use to love and give Him glory. All the favor He bestows upon me, I want to have so I can love and serve others, to help them to find and follow the Lord Jesus Christ forever. Gone are the days I want endless stuff for me. Oh, sure, I’m still human. I like my little treats. Like peanut butter cookies and ice cream. To be honest, that’s virtually the extent of it when it comes to special treats. I am so consumed now with love for the Lord, with passion and purpose when it comes to helping to build His Kingdom, with yearning and desire to please and revere Him, honor and exalt Him, preach to the world about Him, to help people meet Him, desire Him, seek Him, give their lives utterly to Him, that the favor I desire today more than anything else is so I have more and more ability to love and magnify Him and proclaim Him to the world and to help others do the same!
Wouldn’t you know, I have more blessings and favor today than ever before. Is it any wonder? This time around, my motives are right. He is my motive for favor. He is my motive for living. He is my heart; the love of my life. Oh, favor Lord, more and more favor. All for your glory – and a little bit of ice cream here and there if you don’t mind. Amen!
Considered your prayers lately? Praying for favor? For His glory?