ENTITLED

A Source of Discontent

Meaning of the word “entitled”: Believing oneself to be inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. A person who feels entitled will resent anything that happens to them that is not pleasant. They believe that they should not have to deal with anything that resembles a trial. The bible’s words are not in keeping with this outlook on life. As shown in this scripture: 1 Peter 4:12, ^“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:”

Many times, what we perceive as trials are serving the purpose of moving us into God’s perfect will. For instance, I may lose my job, but God uses it to channel me into owning my own business. I may be knocking on the wrong doors and finding that they are not opening to me. God will often keep the wrong doors securely closed, to keep us from going down the wrong path. Once we knock on the right door, He will open it. I remember when my son was looking for a higher paying job. I helped him to research and find job openings. He would put in an application and in most cases nothing would happen. In the instances where he was interviewed, he would not be given the position. In one instance, the interviewer told him that he thought he was overqualified.

As a result of all those closed doors, he participated in an online questionnaire from an apprenticeship organization. He stumbled onto this opportunity it seemed by accident. The end result was, he was offered an apprenticeship where he was able to make twice his salary while learning more about his field of work. We knew without a doubt that God had been instrumental in making this happen. He had closed all the wrong doors and opened the right one.  

These seeming trials often occur when we first get saved. We had been living a self-willed life which had put us in a place where we were operating outside of God’s will. Now that we have made Jesus the Lord of our life, He has to move us into His will.

A scripture that helps me when I do not understand why I am going thru certain things is: Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  I have developed the habit of looking for good to come out of situations that on the surface seem negative. In hindsight it is possible to see the good. The thing is to be at peace and remain in faith when something that does not seem to make sense is happening.

The bottom line is, God loves us and wants only the best for us. We have to walk by faith and not by sight; trusting that He is in control, and nothing will happen in our lives unless He allows it.