Obligated?
I’ve learned that I need to be careful of frustration when I don’t receive the things I’ve prayed for. Frustration, anger, resentment, or bitterness can be a clue that I feel God has some obligation to me, or that He owes me something. For instance, if I walk into a bank, go to the counter, ask for a $1,000,000 loan and don’t get it….I’m not mad. Why? I’m not mad because they don’t HAVE to give it to me (I have no rights to that money, I didn’t earn it, my credit score isn’t good enough….you get the idea.) However, if I go to my bank and want to withdraw $20 (knowing I have the money) and the bank teller denies my request….I’m highly upset (and rightly so). Why? Because the bank exists to grant my request when it comes to my money. It’s obligated to give me what’s mine.
When nothing is ours….what is God obligated to give us? If God is obligated to give us nothing…then why do we get so frustrated when He does so?
At the root of our frustration lies the assumption that God owes us something. For God to owe us something would mean that we would have to own something. If we can truly see (and grasp the idea) that we own nothing, then our frustrations with God would cease; and we would overflow with thanksgiving to God for His goodness in providing anything to us. As I’ve started to look at life this way, I’ve seen just how generous God is with His current provision. How has God been generous to you?
Read Philippians Chapter 4
Questions:
- Do you really see ALL things as belonging to GOD?
- Do I see every decision as a spiritual one, a decision that GOD is concerned with?
- Do your “wants” master you or do your master them?
- Do you find yourself being anxious and not thinking on the things in v.8?
Posted on Tue, Sep. 8 2009
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