The fearful favor of God

With success comes jealousy. The counterpart to God’s favor is conflict. As God blessed David, Saul was more and more threatened, and David bore the brunt of his guile (1Sam 18:1-16). God blesses us with success not simply for our own enjoyment, but so that we might do his work. God’s work normally involves confronting evil (i.e. Goliath 1Sa 17:45-47). God’s purpose in granting David victory over Goliath was that the whole world would know that there is a God in Israel. He is ultimately bringing glory to himself. If we experience the discomfort of confrontation in the effort, that is a risk that God is willing to take. The truth is, it may be more than discomfort that we endure. For Jesus, death was the requirement for success and God’s glory (Philippians 2:5-11, Isaiah 53:10-12). Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (Joh 12:24).