There's a lot of people asking these days, "What is divine favor?" Well, divine favor is exactly what it sounds like: it's divine. It's given by God, not by man and it’s a type of favor and blessing that you can’t earn or perform to try and get. It’s not like applying for TSA Pre-Check, where you can skip ahead of others. It’s also not like winning the lottery or receiving good fortune. Divine favor isn’t a cosmic bet where you bargain with God, it's a gift and God gives favor as He sees fit.
Understanding divine favor in Christianity can be complex, but stay with us: we’re going to make it simple! In this blog, you’ll learn how to recognize God’s goodness in your life and be able to thank him for His grace and favor. Together, we’ll discover what divine favor means, explore some examples of divine favor in the Bible, and read Bible verses for divine favor. So, let’s dive in!
What Does Divine Favor Mean?
Because God’s blessings are everywhere, divine favor is a lot like the concept of beauty; favor is “in the eye of the beholder." However, there are distinct examples of divine favor in the Bible where certain people who were close to the heart of God experienced supernatural grace or unmerited respect in situations where the odds were stacked against them.
The phrase “divine favor” refers to God’s special grace, approval, or kindness extended towards His people. An experience of divine favor is an experience of God’s blessing. Because God is our Father who gives good gifts (James 1:17), divine favor is when God chooses to bless someone beyond what they deserve, as works can’t earn His love, God chooses to give divine favor because He is love!
At its core, divine favor in Christianity is best displayed on the cross. Because Jesus died by crucifixion for the sins of the world, we can all experience divine favor and grace by receiving the forgiveness of sins. Jesus didn’t just give us a get-out-of-jail-free card by saving us from hell; He also gave us His Holy Spirit so that way, we can be more like Him and share His love with others.
If you’ve never seen Jesus’ forgiveness of sin as a display of His divine favor, today is your day! Learn how to give your life to Jesus and receive free resources on how to follow God in our blog: This is For You!
Key Aspects of Divine Favor in the Bible
Now that we know a bit more about what divine favor is, we can zoom in on what divine favor looks like in the Bible. Here are 5 indicators of God’s divine favor and how to recognize God’s blessings in your life:
1. Love & Grace: This one may sound too simple, but this aspect of divine favor points back to Jesus’ love displayed for all on the cross. Jesus loves everyone and has given grace to the whole world. To receive this aspect of divine favor, we just have to receive His love and honor Him as Lord.
Seriously: God really loves you. You can’t earn His love, but He loves you despite what you can do for Him! He gives grace to even the darkest of sins and the hardest of situations. Not convinced? Read what the Bible has to say about just how much God loves you: 15 Bible Verses About God Loving You No Matter What
2. Protection & Guidance: Another aspect of divine favor in the Bible is God's protection and guidance. Have you ever read Psalm 91? It’s a whole piece of scripture that showcases God’s divine favor towards those who trust in Him.
Discover more about God’s protection by hearing a story from our friend, Gabriel, who experienced the divine favor of God after a near-death experience: From Addict to Evangelist: How a Near-Death Experience Changes Everything
3. Success & Prosperity: Money, financial blessing, and business success are the main things people think of when it comes to divine favor. God’s favor can look like wealth, flourishing businesses, and financial prosperity.
Are you struggling with money? God’s word can help you through the hardest of times. Learn more in our blog: 10 Bible Verses for When You’re Under Financial Stress
4. Alignment & Submission to God’s Will: If you’re wondering how to find favor with God, the process to divine favor often looks like submitting to Jesus and embracing humility. Imagine a game of tug-of-war. If you’re pulling against God and going in the opposite direction of His will, you may experience less of God’s divine favor. However, if you’re submitted to God and aligned with His will, you’re being pulled towards God’s divine favor.
5. Awareness & Thanksgiving for God’s Blessings: Thanksgiving is one of the most powerful things in the world. Recognizing God’s divine favor on your life often looks like thanking God for what you already have. Practicing gratitude and being content is a proven way to experience the divine favor of God as you see how His divine favor is already at work in your life.
Learn more about the importance of gratitude in our blog: How to Renew Your Mind: The Benefits of Gratitude in the Bible
Now that we’ve discovered some key aspects of divine favor in the Bible, let’s look at real-life stories of people in the Bible who experienced the divine favor of God!
Examples of Divine Favor in the Bible
The Bible is full of stories that show us divine favor in action. As you already know, divine favor doesn’t mean a perfect life, but it does mean a life where God’s blessing is with us. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see how God’s divine favor opposes the proud but prefers the humble (James 4:6). Let’s read about God’s divine favor at work in the lives of Noah, Moses, Joseph, and Jesus.
Noah: Do you remember learning about Noah & the ark? Have you ever recognized that this story is one of God’s divine favor? In Genesis 6, we hear that wickedness and sin are multiplying on the earth at a concerning pace. In the midst of all this, God has something great to say about Noah.
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. - Genesis 6:8
Because of Noah’s pursuit of righteousness and His faithfulness to God, Noah and his family were saved from the flood. God’s divine favor grows as Noah and his family are also chosen to rebuild humanity! This story reminds us that aligning with God’s will often results in receiving divine favor through supernatural protection and purpose.
Moses: Did you know that Moses spoke to God directly? Talk about divine favor! The Bible even says that,
The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did. - Exodus 33:11
Moses had direct, unhindered communication with God, to the point that God would speak to him like a friend. God favored Moses and chose him to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Even though Moses experienced many hard things, he is also noted as experiencing the divine favor of God through miracles, signs, and wonders in the wilderness.
Because of Jesus, now we all have access to speak to God like a friend! Download our FREE E-book on prayer to start your journey today: Let’s Talk About Prayer: Simple Steps to Connect with God
Joseph: The story of Joseph is a powerful story that shows God’s divine favor. Despite the betrayal of his brothers, Joseph continued to trust God, serve God, and be devoted to God even though everything was going wrong. We read about how God showed divine favor towards Joseph in Genesis 39:
The Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. - Genesis 39:21
Eventually, this divine favor led Joseph to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams and receive divine favor from Pharaoh. In the end, Joseph was placed as second-in-command over all of Egypt. God's divine favor turned Joseph's unthinkable trials into unimaginable breakthroughs. As Genesis 50 states,
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. - Genesis 50:20
Jesus: Jesus, the Son of God, is one of the best examples of divine favor in the Bible because the Bible says that He, “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52) Another example of how Jesus experienced divine favor was that He was anointed with the oil of gladness over all His companions (Hebrews 1:9). Even though Jesus experienced the height of persecution by crucifixion, He was sent angels who ministered to Him (Luke 22:43, Matthew 4:11) and He was the first to resurrect from the dead (Luke 24).
Learn more about growing in favor with God and connecting with Him in our YouTube podcast below:
How to Find God’s Favor
While there isn’t a cheat sheet to God’s favor, the Bible gives us a clear character trait that is like a magnet for divine favor. It’s called humility. Humility looks like preferring others over yourself (Philippians 2:3-4), resisting the temptation of pride (Proverbs 16:18), and loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). As you align yourself with the ways of Jesus and follow Him, divine favor is going to come to your life!
Okay, if following Jesus brings favor, how are we to act? What was Jesus' most famous teaching on how to follow Him? Read The Sermon on the Mount!
Bible Verses About Divine Favor
If you’re wondering about divine favor in the Bible, you’re in for good news: it’s everywhere! Scripture is filled with promises and prayers that talk about divine favor. Praying and reading these Bible verses for divine favor will strengthen your connection with God and bolster your faith for the days ahead! Remember: God delights in you, and He loves to bless you with His favor.
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.- Psalm 5:12
Bible verses about divine favor always point to God’s character. God is often referred to in the Bible as a shield or a strong tower that we can run into and be safe (Proverbs 18:10). We encourage you to pray this Bible verse for divine favor each morning as you’re heading to work. You could pray something like,
“Thank you, Lord, that you bless the righteous and that you surround me with favor as with a shield. I thank you for your protection, your provision, and your favor throughout the day. Thank you for being a good Father who gives good gifts to His children. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”
Let love and faithfulness never leave you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. - Proverbs 3:3-4
Bible verses about divine favor always invite us to become more like Jesus. As we align ourselves with God’s will, we often receive His blessings in return. Learn more about how to bless those around you in our blog: How to Live Out Your Christian Faith By Blessing Others
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. - Psalm 84:11
What good news this Bible verse for favor gives us: God withholds no good thing from those whose walk is blameless. Because of Jesus, we have the ability to follow the Lord’s example and experience freedom from sin (Romans 8:2). Hallelujah!
Curious what to do if you mess up or fall into an old sin-habit? Read our post: 4 Things You Need to Do When You Mess Up
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. - Luke 2:52
Bible verses about divine favor usually give us practical tips for how to live. In this Bible verse about favor, we learn that as Jesus grew in wisdom, He grew in favor with God and man. We read in Proverbs 9:10 that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. So, when you choose to fear the Lord and yield to Him, you grow in wisdom. As you do that, you’ll grow in favor with God and man!
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8
Pause: Did you read that? This Bible verse about divine favor says that God is able to bless you abundantly so that you’ll have all that you need. Divine favor doesn’t always look like more stuff, more money, or more vacations. Sometimes divine favor is remembering how good God has already been to you and stewarding well what He already gave you.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. - Psalm 30:5
This Bible verse about divine favor reminds us that God’s blessings will continue to come every day. Even though we experience pain, hardship, and uncertainty, God promises us that joy comes in the morning.
Walking through anxiety? Learn what God says about anxiety in our blog: 21 Bible Verses for When You Feel Anxious or Worried
Conclusion
Divine favor is one of the most beautiful reminders that God loves you and is for you. Bible verses about divine favor remind us that we don’t have to chase favor, earn it, or perform for it – divine favor is called divine for a reason. It’s a gift from our Father in Heaven who delights in giving good gifts to His children…and that includes you!
As you continue on your journey with Jesus, remember to stay humble and aligned with His will. If you’re ever struggling with humility, just look to the life of Jesus, as He is the meek and lowly one (Matthew 11:29). Now that you’re on the lookout for God’s divine favor, thanksgiving and gratitude will show you just how much favor God’s already given you! Be sure to share the favor of God with others by loving them well, meeting their needs, and being generous, just like your Heavenly Father.
