**Finding Favor in the Face of Adversity**

Finding Favor in the Face of Adversity

Psalm 5:12 speaks of God’s favor as a shield, a powerful image. But living in Akasia, Tshwane, where loadshedding is a daily reality, and the news screams of corruption and inequality, that “shielding” feels…abstract. It’s easy to feel like the arrows of adversity are piercing through, leaving us bruised and battered. Is God's favor just a comforting fairy tale, a nice thought to cling to during Eskom's latest power cut?

My own experience, grappling with the recent economic downturn and witnessing the struggles of my neighbours, forced me to confront this. I saw a community grappling with unemployment, exacerbated by the current loadshedding crisis, impacting small businesses, and forcing families to make heartbreaking choices. The shiny shield of God's favour felt distant, almost mocking.

However, I’ve wrestled with the theological underpinnings. Is God’s favor some kind of divine lottery, bestowed randomly upon the "righteous"? I believe the answer lies in a deeper understanding. The "righteous" aren’t necessarily perfect people; they are those who strive to live in accordance with God's will, acknowledging their flaws and actively seeking His guidance. It's a daily journey, not a destination.

Think of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25). The master didn't reward the servants based on inherent goodness, but on their use of what they had been given. Similarly, God's favour isn’t passive; it's activated through our response to our circumstances, our willingness to use our gifts and resources, however small, to serve others. That could mean supporting a neighbour affected by loadshedding, or speaking out against injustice. It’s about using our individual "shields" – our talents, strengths, and resources – to build a more just and equitable society, reflecting God's love in a very practical way.

So, living in Akasia with its challenges, my perspective on God's favour has shifted. It's not just a divine shield protecting me from hardship, but a call to action, empowering me to be a part of the solution, creating a community where the light of God's grace shines through even the darkest loadshedding hours. This is my personal story; what is yours? What is your practical way to reflect God’s love in the face of adversity?

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