Are You Entitled?

Entitled: assuming or acting as though one has an innate right or claim to wealth, success, recognition, etc.

If you’re a Millennial or Gen-Zer, then it’s likely that you also have another label – the Entitled Generation. We’re called this because we have in many ways been raised to expect that things will be given to us based on our general awesomeness. Insert participation trophy. Don’t get me wrong, we do think that we ought to work hard and do great things. But we also think that we should be recognized and awarded each time we do.

We’ve likely carried this attitude over into our relationship with God. If I do X, then God does Y and Z. If I experience difficulty, tragedy, or loss then God must reward my perseverance and faithfulness with abundance and double. We love to highlight Bible figures, such as Joseph and Job to solidify our assumptions and wait impatiently for our due reward.

And if I’m being honest, then this is me. Well, at least up until a couple of weeks ago.

I was listening to this message and this lady’s words stopped me dead in my tracks. Particularly that word stopped me – entitled. And conviction came rushing faster than a kid flying down a water slide on an inner tube.

I felt entitled to a certain life, a certain person, and a certain blessing because of things I had walked (and crawled) through. And I had done so seeking to lay down my desires and honor God, though doing so with many stumbles, yet still with progress. And so there I was lingering by the throne again, haggling the King over when He was going to give me my reward.

Many of us think that because we’ve experienced challenges and difficulties or been wronged and treated poorly that someone owes us something. The world owes us something. God owes us something. But I’ll never forget the words a dear sister shared with me after she got back from her retreat with God. She told me that He had told her that obeying Him, sacrificing her desires, and laying down her life was her reasonable service.

Did you catch that? It is your reasonable service. The bare minimum of you being rescued from death to life and being brought into the Kingdom as an heir of Christ.

The King James Version of Romans 12:1 words it like this: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Not only does God tell us that this is our reasonable service, but He tells us the risks were listed in our contracts when we became believers. He says:

• In this world you will have many troubles (John 16:33)

• I have come to bring division not peace (Luke 12:49-53)

• You will suffer persecution and hardship (2 Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:22)

• On account of me you will be hated, rejected, and ridiculed (Matthew 5:10-11, Matthew 10:22,)

The way of the Kingdom flies in the face of the way of the world. When we turn back to the truth and wisdom of God then we’ll discover a King who became a servant and suffered in the same way just for us.

Below are a few scriptures for you to meditate on as you consider if you need to repent for feeling entitled too.

• For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:17-18a)

• Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

• Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:12-16)

Be sure to follow Unveiled61 on social media for another gem nugget while you’re waiting on the next blog. And don’t forget to subscribe to be notified a new blog is available.

*Definition from Dictionary.com.