The Year of The Lord’s Favor
I had been searching for my word of the year, but every word I tried seemed off. Each word was perfect, but each seemed contrived; like they were meant for me. I looked at growth, soar, joy, present, love, enjoyment, and a lot more, but none felt right. Can you tell I said that in a huff?
Monday morning, I sat down to listen to a sermon on YouTube, and he was talking about Jabez. During his sermon, he was giving out different Bible verses, and one of them changed everything.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
When I read these verses, I was filled with joy, light, and splendor, and I knew that the Lord had provided me a word for the year…favor!
Some of the definitions of favor are:
- The state of being approved or held in regard:
- Excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment:
- Something done or granted out of goodwill rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act:
- Friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill:
Those definitions come from a dictionary, but I am more interested in what the Bible has to say about favor.
Psalm 5:12
12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 84:11
11 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.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
Proverbs 12:2
2 Good people obtain favor from the Lord, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes.
1 Peter 3:12
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
So, what does living in the Lord’s favor look like?
To live in the Lord’s favor means experiencing the blessings and favor of God in your life. This can take many different forms and may include material blessings, such as financial prosperity or good health. But more importantly, living in the Lord’s favor means experiencing the peace, joy, and fulfillment that come from being in the right relationship with God and living a life aligned with His will. It means having a sense of purpose and direction and being able to weather the storms of life with confidence and hope, knowing that God is with you and has a plan for your life.
Living in the Lord’s favor also involves cultivating a heart that’s open to God’s leading and guidance. It means being willing to listen to Him and follow His direction, even when it may be difficult or uncomfortable. It means being humble and recognizing your dependence on God, and trying to live in a way that reflects your trust in Him.
To live in the Lord’s favor is to have a close relationship with God and to seek to follow His will for your life. It means striving to live in a way that pleases Him and brings Him glory. Seeking to grow in your faith and understanding of God’s word and seeking to live out your faith in all aspects of your life. It means being obedient to God’s commands and seeking to honor Him in all that you do.
I’m starting each morning by reading Isaiah 61. I want to be called an Oak of Righteousness and to proclaim the good news of the Lord. I’m thrilled that the Lord gave me my word of the year, and I anxiously await to see the favor He bestows on me this coming year.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
This is beautiful Tania- thank you !
Beautiful!
I love “favor.” But my 2023 words are invest and intentional.
Great post. I am thinking about “my word for 2023.”
That’s a great word! I love that feeling when I know what God wants the word to be. This year my word is finish. I’m very excited about it!
I love having a word rather than a drawn out expectation!! Our word is GRACE!!!
I love your word! This year my word is surrender. All to Him! All for Him!
My daughter had a word for 2022. It’s wonderful when God makes Himself obvious, isn’t it?? Her Instagram post is here if anyone would like to see it. https://www.instagram.com/p/CnFPEpeOHu6/
Very inspiring!
Isaiah 61 came to me twice on Sunday! First in your beautiful post and then in our sermon at church! Our church is about to welcome a new pastor this Wednesday. It has been a year of searching and praying for a new pastor. This Sunday, we had our last guest speaker before our new pastor steps in. The message was the same as yours and so greatly needed! Favor! Both were equally moving for me. Thank you for your wonderful blog and for always keeping things in perspective!
This is a great way to focus yourself for the year. I have never heard of this practice before – I think I will try it instead of my normal life-list. Thanks for sharing!
I love this ! my word for 2023 is confidence. I have lost Confidence in myself and my abilities. I also doubt God will see me through, eventho he has a million times before. I want to work on growing my confidence in God.
I am so grateful for the Lord’s favor. My word for the year is content…..to be content for all He’s given me.
Love this!
Thank you so much for your beautiful words! Perfect reminder that when the world seems against us The Lord will always support those who love and honor Him!
Love it!
Tania I love your word of the year and laying out the biblical meaning and society definition. What a great word God has given to yoy for the year. I hope you will share how this beautiful word plays out in your life this year.
God bless, a loyal follower!
Jayne
I think this is one of your best Sunday devotions. Spot on!
I do a monthly attribute of God in my prayer journal, but haven’t done a word for the year. Going to have to do this!
I always enjoy your, Sunday posts. However, today’s was especially good. Thank you for being so faithful to the Lord, and sharing His Word.
My word for 2023 is provision. I’m a dryland wheat farmer in the Texas Panhandle and we are experiencing an exceptional drought. The word that God gave me is a reminder that He is my provider and it does me no good to fret about the weather! The miracle of Jesus feeding five thousand people is one example of God’s provision from meager resources.
Thank you Tania for sharing these verses with us. I love how intentional you are in your walk with Jesus and that you unashamedly share your faith with us.
Beautiful word tying so well to scripture and the word of God. It is the only thing that will bring us happiness: delighting in the Lord and His ways.
Dina
Tania,
My word for 2023 is JOY. To wake each morning and find JOY each day is my goal. This week I felt JOY watching a bunny eating in my backyard.
Love this! Now I’m inspired to find my word of the year. I’ve never done this before but I’m sure the Lord will lead me the perfect word.
A great word for the favor…God’s favor. oh yes.
That was a real encouragement today. Its cold in the hills of WV but that warmed my heart! Favor. What a wonderful word.
Good post. I don’t have a word for this year. Maybe I will pick one soon
Such a good lesson from the Bible, God’s Word.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Tania for your inspiration! I am now searching for my word! I will truly be looking and listening for God’s signs of what it should be. I am at such a crossroads in my life, I am looking forward to His guidance!
Thanks for your beautiful post today – my word is grace – I want and need God’s grace to come over me and help me – it has been just a horrible year – too many deaths – frineds and family, lots of mishaps and grief and sorrow. God has wrapped me in His grace and love and I need to be grateful for His support and all the grace he pours on me, his underserving child.
I stumbled on your blog from another blogger I follow and I am so happy. I love that you make Jesus the center of everything. Clothes, decorating working out…all of that is fun shouldn’t be the focus of our days. Thank you!
Thank you so much Tania for the gift certificate I couldn’t believe that I won it. It was a nice surprise for sure. Have a blessed rest of the week.
Enjoy all of your posts you are very inspiring to all of us.
Glenda “Nicole” Long
Thank you so much Tania for the gift certificate I couldn’t believe that I won it. It was a nice surprise for sure. Have a blessed rest of the week.
Glenda “Nicole” Long
I appreciate this post Tania for several reasons, with one of them being the prompt for me to land on a word for this year. My word for 2023 is PEACE. With my husband battling incurable cancer, which brings so many uncertainties, I want to always be at Peace because I know that God is on this journey with us, and through Him, we can be at Peace, no matter what. And I want Peace for others, especially those that don’t have a relationship with Him.
Amen! That spoke to me! Thank you for letting Jesus speak through you!
Thank you very much for these bible verses 🙏
My word is present. I want to be present and concentrate on what is happening at the moment and not get distracted by a long list of “to dos”. Be present and enjoy the moments with family and friends.
Thanks for your blog post. I like the word you have selected and the scriptures accompanying it.
Your post prompt me to seek verses and scriptures with my word of choice for 2023. I found several which resonate with or contain my word, “Freedom”.
Selecting this word took much effort and when I landed on it, it felt like home for 2023.
Happy New Year and to a Good Year of favor for you.
Sharon Allen
new subscriber
Great post! Thank you!
Gratitude. I need to dump criticism and judgement, and be grateful for what those I criticize are actually giving me.
Thank you for this post! My word of the year is encourage. I hope to encourage others and to be encouraged by others. I’m a teacher, so encourage is such an important aspect of what teachers do every day.
I enjoy your scriptural inspiration posts every bit as much as I enjoy your fashion ideas! Thank you and God bless! My word of the year is “focus” (on what’s important).
I have never done a word of the year. I like your choice.
Happy New Year!
Good and insightful post. My word is “refresh.” I want to feel refreshed in my walk and in my outlook. As with most people, my 2022 kind of drug me down down down. I need to look up a;nd refresh my soul and spirit.
That was so good. God has to literally thump me on the head before I realize what he saying to me. My word for the year is “change”. I have never picked a word before. I actually tried to “change” my word, 😂, but it kept coming back to me.
Beautiful post. Thank you!
Surrender – that is my word for the year. Finally giving complete control to the Lord for every area of my life – not that I ever had control myself but believing to experience His peace even more as I surrender all the things in my life to Him.
James 4:10
I like that!
My word for the year is Gratitude. I am thankful every day for things but I decided to look into more things to be thankful for that I am over looking
Wonderful word of the year. Mine is Abundance. Not monetary but spiritual – being able to live an abundant spiritual life in 2023. I hadn’t looked at the January theme of my Journaling program but after I chose my 2023 Word and verse 2 Corinthians 9:8 – I found the theme for January was abundance. Many people think of abundance only pertaining to money but as a believer it is so much more. Can’t wait to see what favor God brings to your life in 2023 and what abundance He brings into mine.
Thank you for your inspirational posts.
God gave me 2 words this year; gratitude and forgiveness. Praise be to God. Hoping you have many blessings this year.
My word is courage having courage to face difficulty is hard
courage to change is hard but with god all things are possible
Press on each Sunday to share the Word….you never know who needs “favor” of the Lord and you could be the vessel that shares it.
I have never thought about a word for the year but I am now.
Always enjoy your Sunday posts.
Bless you Tania.
Amen! Inspiring as always….I always look forward to reading your blog every day, however, Sunday is my favorite. Thank you for being so honest and helping guide us on our journey in this life.
This is exactly what I needed to what this morning.
Love this, you are such an encouragement.
Thank you for your Sunday posts. Very inspiring….starts my day & week off Great!!
Grace is my word for the year!
What a beautiful and encouraging word! Thank you for openly sharing God’s favor with all who read your post. ❤️
I love this !!! My word from God for 2023 is Freedom! Here is to all of us experiencing God’s favor and freedom !! God Bless you and yours !!
Blessings to you. Favor is a wonderful word for the year. I have picked the word , “trust”. May I trust in God to guide me . I can trust that God knows what is best for me.
Blessed and happy New Year!
Love this!!
My word for the year is Peace…striving daily to find it. ❤️❤️
Love this!! ❤️❤️
such a beautiful post!
Great post. Thanks.
My last years word was lavished. I haven’t been led to a word this year but I am pleased to hear all the women here who have also shared their ‘word’
I love this so much!! I am choosing “praise”! Our Church is hosting a women’s conference next Saturday and we are all so excited to begin 2023 praising our Lord!
The Lord’s favor is matchless!
My word this year is strength. I make it into an acrostic poem giving each letter in my word a word. I then find a bible verse to go with it. I type out the acrostic poem and make it small enough that I can tape it to the side of my computer and in my car.
My life is a testament to the favor of God. I could write a book!
I love this post. WE all need the reminder every now and then.
This is just what I needed today! I ALWAYS look forward to reading your emails on Sunday morning. It helps me start my week off right.
My word for the year is gratitude.
Thank you for sharing! My word for 2023 is Present….to be intentionally present “in the moment(s)”, concentrating on what is important such as family, friends, etc. and striving to not be distracted from that.
Such an inspired and inspiring message this morning Tania. May the Lords favour rest on you today and always.
Thank you 🙏
God blessings to you
Praise the Lord ❤️
Beautiful! Each day we rise, He has shown us favor. May your year be filled with enlightenment and ‘favor’.
As I started to read the verses from Isaiah I instantly thought of the New Testament passage where Jesus reads that passages in the synagogue. He sure has bestowed favor on those who trust Him. Praising the Lord with you that He gave you your word 😊
A beautiful post, Tania!🕍🙏🏻❤️Thank you for sharing.
My word of the year is happiness. I will intentionally be happy this year
What a wonderful reminder of what it means to live in God’s favor! Thanks for sharing your heart this morning, Tania <3
What a beautiful word for the year and an amazing explanation.
My word for 2023 is strength. Physical strength, emotional strength, financial strength. And I remind myself of my mantra…God is in control.
I enjoyed your blog today thank you.. May you have a Blessed day.
Thank you for this post. I’m going to give this a long thought to come up with my word for the year.
I do choose ONE WORD for each year. Last year, it was LIVE, because my only sibling, my little sister had died in September of 2021 of ovarian cancer, age 48. I wanted to LIVE intentionally and with purpose. This year, my word is PRESENT. I am 62 (13 years older than my only sister) and I realize that life is a gift, a PRESENT. But, I also want to be PRESENT in the lives of my children, grandchildren and friends and savor each moment and blessing that each day gives. Watching my sister die and being her primary caregiver (she was divorced) taught me that life is precious. I am healthy and retired and I have much more to do. (Are you familiar with Jon Gordon….check him out online or most social media platforms, you will be blessed.)
Good word. I love the explanation of why you chose FAVOR as your word for 2023.
My word is Focus.
Have a blessed Sunday.
My word of the year is Love!!!
I too want to seek the Lord’s favor. So many times I question the path I am living but I really try to stay focus on God. He is the answer when today I go to work with a tired body but I know God willing someone will cross my path today that I can bring Gods love. Not always easy but I strive to be open and loving to all I meet. Again thank you for sharing your relationship you have with God.
My word for the year is grace! I want to show more grace to others and really grab hold of the grace God has shown me!
Awesome
I always enjoy the Sunday posts.
Love this! Thank you so much for sharing and the wonderful reminder of what it means to be in God’s favor.🙏🏻✝️ Happy New Year!
This word blessed me today
I do choose a word each year to help me gain more from Bible study. I have been distracted this year. Thank you for the reminder.
Amen Tania!!! I always enjoy your Sunday posts. Great choice for your one word for the year. I am beyond blessed by God’s favor that he has bestowed upon me. My one word for “2023” is “Grace”. During the past 10-12 years of my life, I have learned so much about God’s “Amazing Grace”. I know that “I” need to extend that Grace to others. I also think of the scripture Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
~Lisa~
I think it’s great that you found your word! I have an idea about mine but I’m still not 100% sure and that’s ok. Thank you for sharing your faith, thoughts and bible verses. I look forward to reading them every day.
Thank you for these positive thoughts
I am still searching for’ my word’
This was my word, too! So excited about the year to come! 💕
Very good word, Tania. It resonates with me too. We used to sing a song of Psalms 84:11 and I’m sure I’ll be mentally singing that for days. The Lord is good, very good. Rest in that He has given you a vocation that blesses you and others. Glory to the Most High God!!
GRACE— — for me and the people I work with ( at the hospital) and me dealing with life in general —Carla from Tennessee ( Knoxville). GOD bless you Ms Tania and your hard work with this blog!!!!!
Great word, favor! My word for 2023 is Hineni, {pronounced HEE-NEH-NEE] which is Hebrew for “Here am I” like when God called to Samuel and he answered, “Here am I!” or when God spoke to Abraham about not sacrificing Isaac. The word is used several times in the Old Testament. It means being fully present and attentive to the moment.