1 Corinthians 10:12
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
there are a number of blessings to living in america, but do not be a fool.
you are disadvantaged if you grew up in america and have been influenced by the wealth and health of this country.
if you grew up with a roof over your head and food to eat, you are disadvantaged.
you are disadvantaged in the sense that you are tempted to host entitlement deep down in your heart.
as americans, we are even trained to submit to that reality in others as not to hurt their feelings…
and even promote people “just the way they are.”
the most dangerous position is if you are reading this post and thinking, “i am not entitled.”
you are.
and you are the one most likely to be fostering an environment in your heart of pride and entitlement,
probably unintentionally,
hopefully without knowing it as opposed to knowingly pursuing pride and entitlement.
but beware, lest you will fall.
entitlement breads bitterness and envy,
and the result: death.
death of relationships.
death of contentment.
death of joy.
death of peace.
death of freedom.
the person that needs to be most afraid is he who does not believe that he struggles with entitlement.
the second person that ought be most afraid is he who admits that he struggles with entitlement,
but has not taken the time to reflect
and ask (God and others)
and search (the Scriptures and your own heart)
in an attempt to find out what exactly he feels entitled to…
so that he can find out why…
and
seek counsel (from God, the Word, and community) on how to best overcome this prideful, self-exalting entitlement.
i am currently in this second camp.
i was in the first camp for a long time, and God brought me to tears one day a few months back as He opened my eyes just slightly to how highly i view myself.
one thing that God has shown me already is my entitlement to children.
God blessed me with a son just over a year ago.
i took it for granted and feel as if i deserve another child or have a right to another child.
do you know what i deserve?
death & hell.
no blessing.
my sin deserves righteous, just payment…
the sin that i have committed against an all righteous, perfect, holy, loving, just God cannot even be paid in this lifetime it is so offensive, which is why hell exists…and why it is eternal.
i deserve to receive God’s full wrath, forever.
on my own merits, i deserve the worst scenario possible:
worse than the death of my son and wife, physical torture for life, slander from every person, every day, all day, +, +, …
and you do too.
Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23
…the wages of sin is death…
entitlement demands and leads to death in this life and the next.
if you do not think you struggle with entitlement, take heed.
if you realize you struggle with entitlement, seek where and why so that you might fight it with all that you are out of a response to who you now are in Christ.
if you are not a believer in Christ, do not even try to overcome entitlement – you will not be successful.
you might be able to appear a certain way or manipulate your behaviors in a way that makes it look like you are overcoming the pride that is rooted in your heart leading to entitlement.
but you will wear yourself out and only breed more pride in the process because of what you have done.
further, even if you do give it your best shot and are the most humble person you know,
the Spirit of God speaking through Isaiah tells us that “all of our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa 64:6).
your best effort is not good enough.
here’s the good news:
entitlement demands death.
and Jesus died.
and rose again – proving the payment was finished.
my merits: death.
Christ’s merits: fullness of joy & pleasures forevermore.
what we are tempted to do with those who confess pride or entitlement or bitterness is deal with the issue superficially.
we try to change whatever is “causing” the bitterness.
we get each of our kids the same sized ice cream cone so that one of them doesn’t feel cheated or bitter.
the reality: situations do not create heart issues, they reveal heart issues.
your child does not need the same size ice cream cone as his brother.
he needs the grace of Jesus that enables him to rejoice with his brother who is rejoicing.
but instead, we tell him we’re sorry we didn’t get him as big of an ice cream cone as his brother and will make it up to him.
when we do this, we not only legitimize their sinful feelings stemming from pride, we feed the beast of entitlement.
we need not make people feel good when they confess bitterness or envy.
we need to point them to the cross of Jesus.
we need to point them to the hope of the gospel.
we need to remind them that Jesus paid it all.
now go and destroy those seeds of bitterness and pride and envy and lust and entitlement with the knowledge that Jesus has already won the war.
He paid our payment,
and credits to our account His perfect record for all who believe in Him.
if you are burdened right now with the reality that you host a heart full of entitlement, and are not in Christ, be burdened.
if you are burdened and are in Christ,
be burdened
and
be freed.
give thanks, and pursue the death of entitlement knowing that you are forgiven and loved.
whatever you have experienced in life forms expectations, which often lead to entitlement. beware.
one thing i hear my dad saying often now is: “deprive, deprive, deprive” … out of wisdom, experience of parenting four boys in modern day america, love, a desire for God’s glory, and a longing for his grandchildren’s good.
God demands a payment for sin, which is death.
if you do not believe you struggle with this sin, beware or you will fall.
if you realize that you struggle with this rebellious heart situation, seek out where and why so that you may battle it with great fervor stemming from the freeing power of the grace of God.
Jesus died…
so that you can live.
oh that God would open up our eyes to the point that we are grateful for this breath…
and this breath…
and this breath…
what do you believe you are entitled to?
ltlo
