I woke up this morning with a weird question lingering in my mind. Can children of God become spoiled brats–spiritually speaking? Yes, we are saved with our past sins forgiven and our eternal future secured by our faith in Jesus and what he accomplished for us on the cross at Calvary. But if our eyes do not remain on him can we become self-absorbed with our focus on receiving more and more blessings for ourselves-for our own comfort and prosperity-without any thought of how we can use those blessings we receive to bless others?
ME, ME, ME…
Looking back at the beginnings of my walk of faith, I can see how I behaved like a needy child. This new release from a life of sin, guilt, and lack of self-worth left me craving every possible blessing God could grant me. I was like a kid in a spiritual candy store, eager to taste the next treat that he would drop in my lap.
I guess that is fairly normal in the beginning, right? After so many years of having this idea that God was an angry father-figure just looking for a reason to “smite” me at every turn; that he was as disgusted with me as much as I was.
The truth of his love was overwhelmingly liberating. The purging process of those old misconceptions was like stepping out of the heat and humidity of a miserable August day into an air conditioned lounge with cold drinks and ice cream.
Draining the Swamp
At some point I realized that my relationship with God was becoming a bit stagnant. Like the Dead Sea, my constant receiving of his blessings without using them to bless others caused me to get complacent and ‘swampy’…a spiritual lethargy that, at first, made me think that I was being overlooked or, worse, becoming an afterthought to him.
So I had, in fact, become a spoiled brat in God’s family. Never concerning myself too much with my other adopted brother’s and sister’s needs. Or the needs of the other ‘lost boys and girls’ out there who were looking for hope and in dire need of being adopted by him.
ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER
So my spiritual pendulum swung to the opposite side of the spectrum and I felt the need to find something “big’ that I could do to contribute to the family business, so to speak. These grand ideas of making a difference for the kingdom kept me awake at night, wondering what my ‘gift’ was that could be used to lead others to Jesus. I didn’t and still don’t know if I even have a gift and, if I do, what it is–much less how to use it. That whole period of chasing my tail was exhausting and just left me feeling even more useless.
SO WHAT WAS THE ANSWER?
God showed me that all I was doing in this whole mess was trying to find a way to justify myself to him…to prove that I was worthy of this great love he has shown me. In other words, I was adding works to my faith–as if the sacrifice and victory of Christ over sin, death, and the grave was not enough.
Unwittingly, I was reverting back to my Catholic upbringing that taught salvation came by way of faith plus works, which is unscriptural. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone [Galatians 2:16]. Works are what we do AFTER we are saved by grace out of gratitude–not justification.
THE APOSTLE PETER SAID IT BEST
Therefore, your minds must be clear and ready for action. Place your confidence completely in what God’s kindness will bring you when Jesus Christ appears again.
Because you are children who obey God, don’t live the kind of lives you once lived. Once you lived to satisfy your [own] desires because you didn’t know any better.
But because the God who called you is holy, you must be holy in every aspect of your life. Scripture says, “Be holy, because I am holy.” So if you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth in fear. He is the God who judges all people by what they have done, and he doesn’t play favorites.
Realize that you weren’t set free from the worthless life handed down to you from your ancestors by a payment of silver or gold which can be destroyed.
Rather, the payment that freed you was the precious blood of Christ, the lamb with no defects or imperfections… Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence are in God.
Love each other with a warm love that comes from the heart. After all, you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. As a result you have a sincere love for each other.
You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. That’s why Scripture says, “All people are like grass, and all their beauty is like a flower of the field. The grass dries up and the flower drops off, but the word of the Lord lasts forever.
This word is the Good News [Gospel] that was told to you.”
Rest in the assurance of God’s love, y’all.