Now go to your home! I said I would reward you richly, but look, the LORD has denied you a reward. - Numbers 24:11
Is dishonor ever a good thing?
If Balaam (the false prophet) agreed to curse the Israelites, then Balak (king of the Moabites) promised to reward him richly. He would literally "cover him with honor." Yet, when Balaam refused to do what the king asked (later on he would change his mind), Balak withdrew the promised reward. Interestingly, even this pagan ruler acknowledged it was God who had actually denied Balaam a financial blessing.
His point is well-made. It is always better to be honored by God and dishonored by the world than to be honored by the world and yet dishonored by God. In fact, we should appreciate those time when the Lord denies our receipt of worldly honors.
A servant of Christ Jesus may never know earthly rewards. In fact, they may live a life of total obscurity, unknown to this world. Yet, our God knows all things, and faithfulness and loyalty to His purposes will never go unrewarded by Him. In this sense, He may deny a temporal blessing that we may receive one that is eternal.
Be faithful. God may refuse you the honor of men, but if He does, it is for your own good and His own glory.
We must never mistake the process for the result. There is suffering, but this is only the process. God isn't going to stop with the process; He wants to produce the final result. Suffering leads to glory; shame leads to honor; weakness leads to power. This is God's way of doing things. - Warren W. Wiersbe
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