God's Unmerited Favor!

Have you ever felt that favor was bestowed upon you that you did not deserve? The kind of favor that you know, "without a shadow of a doubt", only God could give? The kind of favor that is bestowed upon you in spite of all of the fussing and complaining you did when the trials came into your life? The kind of favor that showed itself in the form of love even when you did not love yourself - or when your actions were unlovely? I have. Each question I just asked you, I have to sadly but honestly admit, describes me at one time or another in life. You see, I have not always been grateful for the blessings that God had bestowed upon me. There were times when I allowed my trials to overshadow the blessings - as a result, instead of thanking God for the blessings, I all but cursed him for the trials. But that was then.I have since learned to thank God in spite of my trials! I have learned, through the workings of the Holy Spirit, to see the blessings - sometime disguised in my struggles. But most of all....... I have learned to appreciate "God's Unmerited Favor!" Exactly how is it that I have learned to appreciate "God's Unmerited Favor?" Well, it's because of "God's Unmerited Favor" towards me that I have began to see his unmerited favor in others; especially my enemies. Those that I find it hard to be merciful to. Those that I find it hard to forgive. Those that I know do not want to see me do well. Those who try to sabotage the good that I do or have done. Believe it or not. God extends his "Unmerited Favor" towards them as well. And I am so thankful. Why? Because there was a time in my life when "I Was My Own Enemy"; yet God still extended his unmerited favor towards me. Having God bring me through that experience has taught me that I should thank God for my external enemies. How is that? The answer is easy. You see, it's my external enemies that have actually excelled my growth! It's my external enemies that not only challenge my faith and my integrity, by it's my external enemies that keep me running back to God again and again asking for his strength and claiming his promises to me through his word, the Bible. It's through my external enemies that I have learned to appreciate God's faithfulness toward me - in spite of my unfaithfulness toward HIM! Lamentations 3:22-26 describes it best. It Reads: vs. 22 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not." vs. 23 "They are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness." vs. 24 "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him." vs. 25 "The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him." vs. 26 "It is good that a man, (or woman), should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord." God, thank you for your "Unmerited Favor" towards me and my enemies. For surely, "Your Mercies Are New Every Morning - Great Is Thy Faithfulness!" Be Blessed! Yolanda McIntosh President/CEO/Founder McIntosh Mo2vations www.mo2vate.net http://mo2vate.blogspot.net