My husband Kenya had his root canal successfully done. Now he’s on a mandated soft foods diet and has been eating lots of mashed potatoes and yogurt while he’s healing.

“You never think about how many foods you eat that aren’t soft,” he told me yesterday. I can tell he misses his favorite entrees and snacks and will be glad when his mouth is feeling well enough to return to his normal diet.

Many of us, like Kenya, resent having to give up rich, flavorful foods, which is why I have always been fascinated by the account of Daniel 1.

Daniel, a young man from the tribe of Judah taken into Babylonian captivity, was so committed to God that he didn’t want to defile himself with King Nebuchadnezzar’s food and wine. It wasn’t that the king’s menu was generally bad, but it did not align with Daniel’s faith and commitment to God. Therefore, he requested and obtained permission for him and his three friends to eat only veggies and water.

As Daniel and his friends honored God, God honored them. They looked healthier than the men who ate the king’s menu (v. 15). They had better ability to understand all the Babylonian literature and wisdom (v. 17). These four Israelite men also impressed the king more than any of the others. In fact, they were “ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom” (v. 20).

If that isn’t uncommon favor, I don’t know what is! And friend, the same God who favored Daniel and his friends also favors you. Although Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego) were in bondage to the Babylonians, God favored them in their place of affliction.

Sometimes, we feel like circumstances must be perfect for God to favor us. But God often does His best work in our worst situations. That’s what I believe He sent me to tell you. Though everything isn’t perfect, and you are facing some challenges, He is giving you uncommon, supernatural, undeniable favor anyway.

What the enemy thought he could use to bind you, God is using it to bless you. What Satan thought would hold you back, God is causing it to push you forward. What your adversary thought would hold you down, God is going to use it to lift you up.

In this season, God is making you a prime example of uncommon favor, rare blessings, extraordinary breakthroughs, and awe-inspiring miracles. As God proved through the lives of Daniel and his friends, He’s going to prove in your life that He specializes in turning seemingly unfair disadvantages into unfair advantages.

God told me to speak Isaiah 58:11 ESV over you, which is why I’m stirring it into your cup of inspiration: “And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, prepare your heart to receive extraordinary, abundant, uncommon favor because you honor God. Therefore, He will honor you.

Now, let’s pray.

God, thank You for reminding me that my circumstances don’t need to be perfect for me to experience Your favor. By faith, I thank You for favoring me in the wilderness, for blessing me in affliction, and for causing me to reap a harvest in dry places. I declare according to Your word that the blessings of the Lord are upon my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!