Favor and Blessings Come From God

Does it matter to God whether or not we give Him credit? Thankfully, we can learn from individuals in the Bible who lived their lives giving glory to God.

“Self-made” heroes of society are often sought out for podcast interviews when they make news headlines. They are often revered, receiving accolades. Our society greatly respects people who are self-made success stories. 

But how many think of giving any credit to God—especially in a world where many reject even the notion of His very existence?

When a nation remembers from where all blessings come

God warned the Israelites of this human tendency in Deuteronomy 8. 

In verses 12-14, He instructed them to beware of the proclivity to forget God as the source of their blessings when they had all they needed—beautiful homes, ample resources, wealth and financial security. God knew that people would be inclined to forget Him during times of prosperity and to take credit themselves (verse 17).

Sadly, both Israel and Judah failed to heed God’s warning and repeatedly suffered the sad results of their pride, faithlessness and disobedience. Time and time again, they cried to God for help only as a last resort.  Eventually this resulted in their captivity. They sought other sources of protection and help, rather than trusting in the One who had provided for their every need.

Abraham’s good example

Thankfully, God has also included stories in the Bible of people who set an example of giving glory and thanks to God. They were people who trusted and obeyed Him, rather than looking to their own self-sufficiency.

Because of Abraham’s consistent obedience and trust in Him, God promised him that he would become the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4), and all the nations of the earth would be blessed in him. Why? God said, “For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice,  that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:19). 

God knew Abraham would obey. Abraham’s faith in God was evident in how he chose to live and make decisions. 

Abraham understood that all he had was a result of God’s blessings and protection. Because of his faithfulness, God’s promises would ultimately be carried out (Romans 4:20).               

Joseph’s good example

In the account of Joseph, we see that God was with him even in his darkest moments after his brothers sold him into slavery. It was evident to his Egyptian master (Potiphar) that there was something different about this young man. Potiphar saw that “the LORD was with him and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand” (Genesis 39:3).  

This was because Joseph chose to live in obedience to God and do things God’s way.       

When Joseph was wrongfully accused and imprisoned, God was with him—and continued to give him favor. God made Joseph’s work prosper (verses 21-23). That favor led to his eventual release from prison and God’s using him to save his family and the nation of Egypt from starvation. 

In the end, Joseph continued his disciplined life pattern, giving all the credit to God (Genesis 45:8).

Daniel’s good example

Daniel and his fellow captive friends were also given favor because of their consistent and unwavering obedience to God. “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank” (Daniel 1:8).

Daniel believed and obeyed God in the seemingly smallest of matters because, in fact, it did matter! Through small tests of obedience, Daniel and his friends were brought into the favor of the chief of the eunuchs and were given “knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom” (verses 9, 17).  

Daniel and the other three young men gave God the credit for these things.

King David’s good example

From a very young age, King David gave all the glory to God. He understood where blessings came from and where success originated. As David considered all that had been given for the building of the temple, he prayed, “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, and of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14). 

David chose to put God first and was called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). 

Nebuchadnezzar’s bad example                 

At the end of the day, does it matter to God whether or not we give Him credit? It does. Sadly, Babylon’s king had to learn this lesson the hard way.            

In Daniel 4, Nebuchadnezzar was warned in a dream to turn from his prideful ways. But, after he didn’t, his kingdom was temporarily taken from him, and he was reduced to a beastlike existence for seven years! 

After he was restored, he said, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever . . . I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down” (verses 34, 37). 

He learned through this very difficult experience that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will” (verse 17).

Give credit to God

Centuries ago, Paul warned Timothy that this self-centered attitude and its destructive consequences would have an impact in the end time: “But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, Amplified Bible).

Paul encouraged Timothy to: 

• Continue in what he had been taught.
• Hold the line. 
• Remember where diligent obedience and faithful trust in God leads. 

He instructed Timothy, “But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]” (verses 14-15, Amplified Bible).

Those same instructions apply to us.

For more insight on this topic, read “A Life of Blessings” and “How the ‘Joseph Effect’ Can Affect Your Job.”