What are you Looking For?

(Prov 11:27 NLT) If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

In this verse Solomon contrasts those who seek good with those who seek evil. The message is simple, clear, and yet profound - you will basically find what you are searching for. The person who seeks mischief, who is always on the lookout for ways to do wrong, will find all sorts of opportunities to get into trouble.

The same is true for those that are disposed to do good unto others. If you have it in your heart to be a blessing to others, you will always find opportunities through which you can be a blessing. Race, color, creed, gender, status, and etc. don't matter on this point. This is not a matter of position, but rather of disposition. If your heart is bent towards God you will seek God and run into Him all the time. However, if your heart is bent towards the enemy then you will run into trouble on every turn.

The New International Reader's Version of this text says, "Anyone who looks for what is good finds favor. But bad things happen to a person who plans to do evil." The issue here is one of expectation. Over the years I have observed that those that come to different meetings with an expectation of the manifestation of God often receive that manifestation, whereas those that come expecting nothing get exactly that. I always come expecting. Someone said, "If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time." The same can be said for those that aim for Godly things or ungodly things; they often hit their target.

Later in Proverbs Solomon said, "Criminals out looking for nothing but trouble won't have to wait long - they'll meet it coming and going!" (17:11 MSG). That is a clear picture of what happens when you seek the wrong things. On the positive side, let's look at something Paul said in his second letter to the church at Corinth. In that letter he said, "But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit" (2 Cor 3:11). Paul was teaching about developing in God. The illustration he used was powerful. He paints a picture of us, as Born-Again believers, standing unveiled before a mirror and beholding the glory of God in it. The more we focus on the glory of God, the more we are transformed into that image and likeness. It takes time, but the process takes us from level to level, from glory to glory. Whenever I teach from this verse I say, "You become what you behold!" The lesson is that you eventually become what you consistently give your attention to. If you focus on the things of God you will become Godly. If you focus on the things of the world you will become worldly. Your focus and expectation is the key.

So what does this mean? It means that what you become in life is mostly up to you at this point. Jehovah has already defeated satan through Jesus on Calvary. The Father has plans for you and He wants to operate in your life, but you must cooperate with Him.

He will NOT force you. You must give yourself over to the process of development. So stand before the mirror of God's glory, focus on the things of God, will your will to expect God's best and you will find that run into God's blessing on every turn. If you search for good you will find favor!

Father, I thank You for defeating satan through Your Son Jesus! I have been Born-Again into You. I am in Your Kingdom and Your Kingdom is in me! I give myself over to You and to the process of my development. I focus on Your glory and I declare, by faith, I become what I behold! I seek for Your good and I find Your favor. I seek for Your best and I consistently run into Your blessing. I enter this day with great expectations and I know that I will find exactly what I am looking for! My attitude will dictate my altitude! In Jesus' name. Amen!