Have you secretly asked yourself if God has favorites?
Are there times when it feels like God has favorites and you are not one of them?
Perhaps, you feel that there must be a host of people God loves much more than you?
I know I did!
For years, it felt like the world was against me. It just felt like nothing was working. Nothing was going according to plan and I felt powerless.
I also I blamed myself for everything that was wrong with my life. I believed there had to be something intrinsically wrong and unlovable about me.
Perhaps, you can relate.
I was plagued by a host of terrible decisions I had made with my eyes wide open:
a broken relationship that took me years to overcome, failing to get into my dream school (because I didn’t prepare enough), and a host of other mistakes.
I believed that God had forgotten me, that I had been so bad and disappointed him so many times that he couldn’t possibly care about me.
I accepted the lie that my life no longer mattered because if it did then things should be going well.
At the very least, I wouldn’t be continuously burdened by my past mistakes, always looking over my shoulder at the mess I had made of things.
You can imagine that this made life difficult.
I felt lost and unloved and it all stemmed from how I viewed myself.
I believed that God loved some people more than others and I was certainly not part of that special list.
You may be wondering why I’m sharing all this today, and the truth is that too many of us are in bondage.
Many times, we go through life thinking we are the only ones with our fears and anxieties, we believe we are the only ones who made terrible mistakes and are stuck living out the consequences of those decisions.
But thank God we are not!
There is always a place for healing, for mercy, and for love.
Perhaps, you had a similar story to mine and you can totally relate or maybe things have gone swimmingly for you.
Whatever the case may be, I hope you never forget one thing: God is not partial.
If you look back, you may find several instances of God’s unimaginable love for you.
You may recall how He saw you through the smallest and seemingly inconsequential things to the big and glaring issues.
Through it all, God has been there but sometimes, it takes us looking beyond ourselves: our faults, our mistakes, our ‘issues’, to see His hand at work.
While writing Your Restored Life Devotional, I came across some powerful scriptures that reminded me that God is not partial neither does he show favoritism:
As for those who were held in high esteem– whatever they were, makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism…” Galatians 2:6
A similar scripture in Acts 10:34-35 (MSG) says:
It’s God’s own truth and nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from– if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.”
These scriptures were particularly poignant because sometimes, we Christians tend to place some people on a pedestal, we allow ourselves to believe that these people matter more than we do.
But is that God’s way?
Is He about cliques, about self-righteousness, and rationing love?
I don’t believe so, which is why I decided to share an excerpt of the devotional with you, you can also get a FREE copy here.
Excerpt of YOUR RESTORED LIFE: LIVING A LIFE OF GRACE AND LOVE:
DAY 13
God does not show favoritism
Scripture verse: Galatians 2:6
“As for those who were held in high esteem — whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism...”
Devotion:
Every one of us probably knows that woman who seems to have it all; a wonderful husband and kids, an amazing job, beautiful inside and out, and is also spiritual and fun-loving. She is loved by many and has the heart to help others.
You often see pictures of her is lurking in the vestiges of your social media page, or maybe she’s your neighbor or a church member.
Basically, she is that woman who makes us wonder if God has forgotten us.
The woman who has it all “figured out“. We secretly wish to become her and have to constantly fight down the ugly head of envy and jealousy.
But here’s the truth: God is not partial.
Each of us has a path God has specially fashioned for us.
When we focus on another person’s life and all that they have, we miss out on our own lives and the blessings that come from trusting God and walking in obedience.
The Bible reminds us that “there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work” (1 Corinthians 12:5-6).
God knows what we need better than we can ever know for ourselves, which is why no two lives are the same. While we all want and desire good things, it’s better to focus and desire what God wants for us.
Paul and Peter are often regarded as the greatest apostles in the Bible, yet they had different roles and missions. Imagine if one or both had focused on the impact of the other rather than what God sent them to do?!
With the way the world worships success and beauty, it is easy to fall into the comparison trap and become discouraged or discontent with our lives and our achievements.
It is absolutely necessary that we remember that we are all unique with a different journey, which God alone knows.
We need to remember that God loves every single one of us and is not in the business of playing favorites, but rather builds us up according to the gifts and capabilities He has given us.
Prayer:
Lord God, thank You for loving me in Your own way and for blessing me with skills and gifts to help me achieve all Your perfect plans. Father, please help me to stop comparing my life to those of others. Help me realize that all that I have is in Your hands and will lead to a future and a hope.
Reflection:
Study the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), what is one lesson from this story?
Further reading
Jeremiah 29:11-13, Matthew 6:25-33. Acts 10: 34-35
Final thoughts
Reading through this post, you may agree that there are situations in life where it feels like God has favorites, this is especially so when we compare our lives with those of others.
But if there is one thing the Bible has shown, it is that God does not have favorites.
He loves each of us with an everlasting love, and he is longing to have an intimate, and meaningful relationship with each of us.
So, in answer to the question in your heart – God does not play favorites.
I hope you remember this, no matter what you face.
For more posts:
- Letter to the Single Girl who feels unloved and forgotten
- How I finally forgave myself and found peace
- When God says no to your relationship
I’ve always felt that God has his favorites, and that I am definitely not one of them. Everything in my life takes gut wrenching prayers for help. I just don’t understand. Never have, never will. Even now, my prayers are still not answered. Often times im just tired of praying because I think, whats the difference? Help me please.
I hope you are feeling better. I often feel like you described, as well.
I am, Jessica. I have continually seen and experienced God’s goodness and grace. I pray we continue to do so. Amen ??
Thank you for writing this blog. I totally felt like you were describing my life. I wish and pray that I would be a favourite of God’s because I really do believe that there are some who’s path is so much easier and more aligned. While I am okay with following my own path, it does break my heart knowing that my path won’t see any of my prayers answered or any of my dreams come true. I hope this makes sense… I’m struggling to be okay with that part. I literally cry about this every day. Praying just feels so redundant now. And that ‘magic’ of being a Christian feels so untrue. I know that no matter how much I pray, ultimately I have to just let it go because there’s no amounts of prayer that will change the (non favourite) path that is mine.
When you’ve been through tough times starting at a very young age to adulthood its really the one thing that will linger on your mind .. especially when those who wronged you seems to have it all figured out and you were still trap with the pain they cause you…
But yeah i think acceptance is the only thing you can do. Some people never really have it all together and i am one of those people..
Maybe theres no favorites but we just have been put to the worst life story …?
Hello Chang’e. Thanks for sharing your heart. I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through, and I can’t claim to understand the ways of life. But I do know that God knows what we have been through and are going through.
More so, he is there with us even when it does not feel like it. He is able to help us through the pain and devastation.
We cannot believe the devil’s lies about us being alone and unloved. No, our father loves us with an everlasting love.
Chang’e, don’t focus on how the lives of those who have wronged you have gone, but on what God is doing in your life. Trust him to see you through, and thank him for what he has already done (trust me, you will be amazed when you take time to count your blessings).
May God continue to bless and keep you, Sis. You are dearly loved and I pray you never forget that. 1 Corinthians 10:13 reminds us that God will not give his children more than they can bear. He will always make a way. May he continually make a way for you.♥️♥️
The more times I read the Bible, the more convinced I became that God definitely has favorites. It is full of examples where one person is singled out just because, even before they were born. For every quote about God not having favorites I can provide probably 5 biblical stories of how people were favorited and treated better than the rest.
I also noticed that people’s relationship with God is determined in a big way by their childhood and their parents. People who had parents favoring one child over the other will be sensitive to that kind of treatment. Most believers will eventually react when they notice others sailing through life effortlessly while they are struggling every day. I figured that’s where a lot of my pain is coming from- every time I pray and my prayers get unanswered I am reminded about my mom, who would praise my brother for little achievements and wouldn’t notice mine. I don’t do in consciously, but since I analyzed my relationship with God and my nagging feeling of his favoritism, I figured that all this has to do with the pain penned inside from the early life. I don’t know if it helps or it makes the matters worse. Probably worse, because finding God should be a healing experience and not something that follows the familiar pattern.
Saying to someone that you should be content with unanswered prayers because there is a special plan for you sounds a lot like a story about a fox and sour grapes. That just doesn’t sit right with most people, even if we have to accept that we don’t get what we ask for.
It doesn’t feel like anything…He does play favorites. Maybe you should come out of your “God Bubble” into the real world and Look around.
Okay. Thanks for sharing your perspective, but my experience has been different. God is good. ?
Facts,, I totally related to this. Especially when you see people in your family who are not Christians or religious and their life is smooth sailing.
I was not my mothers favorite. I was molested at 5 and she never did anything about it. I married men like her that constantly put me down beat me emotionally and physically. I don’t rayed to God and would say all I wanted was a family! Well he took that too. My son almost died before he was born. Well God took him at 25 my only child. My husband made me lose my home and spent all my inheritance. I lost my mom after my son then my dad then my 2nd husband. Yes he took my whole family. Then I developed diabetes and heart issues. Boy have I had the life. ! I have prayed my whole life and I have not one answered prayer. I am in depression and anxiety due to being alone. I hate myself because I never felt good enough. All I can say is thank you God. I feel like he thinks I am no good and a piece of trash. Yes I see the world around me my friends who have their children their family. I can’t even enjoy Christmas. No joy left in my life and I have people pray for me all the time. It get frustrating. Nothing I can do anymore but try to find faith. It’s hard when you wake up everyday and have nothing to look forward to! Wanting God to take me everyday. I believe he wants to see me suffer! The lessons I have learned from thieve horrible things don’t make life better.
Hey, I’m sorry to hear all that has happened to you but I have some few statements to make:
1) Before you entered those marraiges, did you ask God for his advice ?
2) Demons also exist you know?
3) I saw your comment has been up to a year now, how is everything with you now?
4) I also realized that you are habouring unforgiveness against your mom and I don’t think that’s healthy necessarily. I think you should take all your burdens to God. Plead your case with him in person and he will surely answer your prayers.
Somehow I knew this post would strike a painful cord with many and that there would be comments. I get it….I empathize so deeply.
I had a best-friend that used to say “God always has his favorites” It bothered me deeply because I knew it wasn’t true and yet her life was really going so roughly compared to others around her. I didn’t have the biblical wisdom or even the courage to gently combat her claims.
She’s into new age and law of assumption manifesting now. We could not remain friends because our beliefs clashed so violently.
I do realize now that God is not a genie. The church I went to sold that lie of prosperity to me. But I also didn’t stay in the Word enough or get in a relationship enough with the Lord to realize that suffering is meant to draw me closer to Him. I pray to be spared certain pain but even if it doesn’t happen. Even if I’m crushed by this world. I just know God is still with me. He won’t abandon me.
I realized that I took the gift of salvation for granted. I took Jesus’ sacrifice for granted.
My entitlement was too great.
I didn’t stop to acknowledge how many times I could have suffered more or could have died but He spared me. I didn’t realize how many doors that shut in my face actually had snakes below, hidden and ready to poison me.
I didn’t realize that even sitting at my computer desk, trapped in a mentally painful adhd symptomatic cycle of boredom was a blessing. It annoyed me to have to dwell on stuff like that. Felt tedious.
I think ultimately I wanted God to bring me glory. After all, I was abstaining from “major sins” well enough. I didn’t want to bring glory to God. I cared about earthly comforts, my safety, the safety of my loved ones and pleasures more. Even anxiety, ocd, adhd and depression became my idol because I trusted in my imagined fate of darkness more than God’s redemptive light.
And as I prayed for escape, I essentially wanted to gain the sort of safety where I wouldn’t really need to cry out to God after that. I could just use him as decoration, as an accessory.
I repented, I repent, I repent even now. Please keep me in your prayers.
Look…this earth is broken. It is not our home. We will suffer in this life. Even David, a man after God’s heart, suffered so greatly no matter when he did right or wrong. But we are not alone. Jesus died for us and paid a price for us that we can’t even begin to fathom. It wasn’t just earthly human pain – it was the burden of our sin. He carried it all so that we don’t have to burn for eternity. And yet he still wants to be friends with us! He still wants to get closer to us. God is so good.
What helps me when I feel that life is going unfairly is to stop everything and just praise God. Even if only for my ability to blink my eyes and breathe in and out. I’m not promised another second of my life. Nobody is.
Anyway, I wanted to share this. God bless you all. Remember Isaiah 60:19.
The struggle to feel loved by the One I love more than life itself is real. To see others live a life of spiritual fruitfulness whilst I am left out, is so painful it clouds my days and nights. I feel “depressed” and flat, knowing He could end the pain with one word, but chooses not to. I remember when I was not a believer, and didn’t walk with Him, read His Word, worship Him with all my heart, seek after the relationship with God that apparently He wants to have with me, but does not. I remember life without salvation and it was easier. I didn’t have this pain and sick feeling in my tummy of rejection from the God who created me, and saved me. Why save me, to leave me? I didn’t ask to be created, I didn’t ask to be born and here I am trying not to succumb to misery over the aloneness I feel from a God who has no favourites. I don’t know what to do, my husband is sick of hearing about it, I can’t say I blame him, I’m sick of it too. If there is true help for this, if there is a way out of this mess, I don’t know what it is. I am part of a spirit filled church, I do Bible study, read the word, worship and pray a lot. And here I am. Help. Please….
Hello Kymkym. Thank you for sharing your heart and pain.
I can’t claim to understand what you’re going through, but I do realise that there are times we experience a deep and unwavering ache. An ache so hollow and painful that we can’t seem to find the words to express it. It just feels like no one will get it, but I am also learning that sometimes the only person that can understand us is often the last person we want to go to.
God is truly the only One that gets us –every part of us.
If you feel that you have been rejected by God then I think you need to reflect on why you think that, because the Bible tells us otherwise.
Isaiah 49:15 says “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you.”
The Bible is also filled with reminders that God will never leave nor forsake us.
Romans 8:38-39 says: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angles nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I have seen that sometimes, the devil whispers words around our biggest fears, and we accept these words rather than counter them with God’s TRUTH.
If you’ve always had a fear of abandonment or you were abandonned and rejected as a child, satan will amplify that fear in your relationship with God, making you believe that God is like the people in your life who left you.
But I know and I am fully assured that God is with you and He will never leave nor forget you.
You are loved, Kymkym. I pray you believe and acknowledge that. 🧡