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Life can be humming along and then—bam—the barrel tips. A message, a phone call, a headline, and suddenly the door you were excited about is bolted shut. I’ve been there. Overwhelmed, trying to find my feet, journaling at 3 a.m. because my thoughts wouldn’t stop.

In one of those weeks, God gave me a single word: favour. I started studying it and camped in the story of Joseph. What hit me wasn’t the palace—it was the middle. In Potiphar’s house, people saw the Lord was with him and that everything he did prospered. In prison—rock bottom—people again saw that everything he did prospered, so he was promoted. Joseph didn’t chase titles; he chased God. Favour found him in every room.

David’s path looks the same. Anointed young, crowned at 30, reigning for 40 years—but the middle was caves, pursuit, pressure. And yet in the wilderness God gathered to him the very people who’d become his mighty men. Detours were actually divine setups.

Here’s what God kept pressing on my heart:

  • Favour isn’t a fair-weather message. It’s not “I’ll think blessing after the storm.” It’s for during the storm.

  • Obedience matters. “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.” You don’t earn favour, but you step into it by doing what He says—especially the small nudges that seem random.

  • God isn’t scrambling. He’s not reacting to surprises; He’s already prepared steps for you. Often the why shows up later, but obedience keeps you under His shadow.

  • God uses it. “He causes all things to work together for good” for those who love Him and walk in His purpose. He doesn’t cause everything—but He can use anything.

I’ve watched this play out in tiny daily obediences. A whisper that didn’t feel “big,” but later became the exact setup I needed when plans flipped. A lot like Joseph meeting the cupbearer in prison—who would’ve guessed that was the connection God would use to open the palace door?

And then there’s the furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow, got thrown into fire… and a fourth man showed up. They walked out without even the smell of smoke. Sometimes God’s presence is most obvious in the heat.

So what do we do in the middle?

  • Name the problem, then name your God. Out loud. “My God is greater than ______.”

  • Journal and listen. Ask, “What’s my next step?” Not ten steps—one.

  • Obey quickly. Don’t chase outcomes; chase God. Outcomes will chase you.

  • Stay consistent. A glad, steadfast heart feasts regardless of circumstances.

  • Study favour in pressure. Read Joseph, David, Daniel—watch how favour worked under weight.

One more picture I love: draw your name in the middle of a page. Around it, write everything that’s surrounding you—the bills, the report, the closed door. Then draw a huge circle around all of it and write “GOD.” What surrounds you is surrounded by Him.

If you’re thinking, “I’ve done everything right and nothing’s changing,” don’t quit. Hidden progress is still progress. Connections are forming you can’t see yet. Paths are opening that don’t even exist to the natural eye. Seek God, not the perks. Refuse compromise. Be willing and obedient.

Favour isn’t waiting on a sunny day. It’s working right now. Keep going. You’re closer than you think.