Entitled

Recently I’ve been feeling slightly entitled. Okay, actually majorly entitled. My thoughts are led by my flesh instead of by His Spirit and I have found myself expecting things from Him just because I’ve done what He’s asked me to. My selfishness has led me to pout and complain as if I deserve a “Thank you!” from God. Me, Meghan, this sinner that fails daily… multiple times daily… is expecting a perfect God, creator of the universe, to thank me. 

I’ve given up a lot of good things, Lord! 

I’m lonely, God!

I really deserve (fill in the blank). 

It’s painful to even voice the thoughts, but I’ve learned that the conviction of the Holy Spirit is only to help me experience more joy rather than more pain; and he has definitely convicted me! This morning, as I was spending time with Him I ran across Luke 17:7-10.

Will any of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” 

A few things to note here, the first being that these verses are written to followers of Christ, not half-hearted church goers or those testing the waters of Christianity. Instead these verses are for the servants of Christ that are in the fields plowingand keeping sheep,both of which were arduous and taxing jobs. These verses are for those who pick up their cross daily to follow Jesus, the ones that die to self every morning before even getting out of the bed. (Which is not always me… often he has to remind me to pick up my cross.)

The second thing is that the servant is not there to be thanked by the Master. He is there to servethe Master. And lastly, the command comes straight from the mouth of Christ… “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

As I read this, I heard his gentle, yet firm, urging to remember why I am here and that’s only because I serve Him and He has asked me to follow. 

I do not deserve a thank-you from the creator of the galaxies and the one who has sustained all life from the beginning until now. I do not deserve to really even be able to speak to Him and yet I can. Despite all of the things I do not deserve, he still lavishes me with good things. But my heart constantly wants more, when in reality I have all that I need because my Master is also my Savior and Friend. The one that I serve loves me. Entitlement is scary business and it can wreck the receiving of God’s gifts because I’m always thinking I should receive more.So, once again He’s brought me to my knees with the reality of my sin and the immensity of His grace. I’ll continue to plow, recognizing that my Master waits for me at the end of it all and I’ll say “I’ve only done what was my duty.” And his response will be to wipe away all my tears and say “well done my good and faithful servant.” THAT IS GRACE.