DO YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE
Have you ever thought, “I’ve worked hard this week; I deserve a break” Maybe you think you deserve a vacation, or you’ve been good on your diet, so you deserve a cheat meal? If I’m being honest, I’ve thought that I deserve attention, compensation, or even a new handbag.
I’ve tried to take “I deserve” out of my vocabulary. It is so easy to fall into a deserving mindset when we look around us and see what others may have. If you see your neighbor buy a new car, you might start thinking you work hard every day, and you deserve a new car. Maybe your co-worker got a raise or a promotion, which triggers you to feel that you deserve all of those things. Those thoughts will start to fester to the point you harbor ill will toward the co-worker or the boss. Why did they get the raise/promotion? Why did the boss not value you, was he blind to your efforts?
Joe and I have had a saying that we’ve used for years, and it is a lyric from a Rolling Stone song. It is, “You can’t always get what you want, But if you try sometime you’ll find You get what you need.” Need and want are usually two different situations, and what you deserve can be very different than what you think. You might think you deserve riches and blessings, but the truth might surprise you.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Since we are all sinners, the truth is, we deserve death. We deserve to be punished for our sins, especially since we sin daily. It is only through the grace of our Lord that we truly do not get what we deserve.
Psalm 103:10
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
If we got what we deserved, it would be punishment and death. Instead, Jesus took on our punishment, and it is through His sacrifice we can have the hope of spending eternity with the Lord.
So, the next time the thought, “I deserve,” runs through your mind, stop and praise the Lord for NOT giving you what you deserve, but giving you what we desperately needed; Jesus Christ.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
So funny I sing the rolling stones song all the time, it is true you only get what you need.
That was just what I needed to hear. Thank you.
I am also reminded of a country song, I think by Garth Brooks. I thank God for unanswered prayers.
This as a great perspective. I sometimes think about why I follow some fashion blogs because they make me want things I really don’t need. There is a balance between what you want (just because someone else has it) and what we really need. The world is constantly telling us we need more of everything but what we really need is more of Jesus and His grace! Thank you for posting!
Very well written. Your post spoke to me today. You are awesome.
Amen Tania! Thank you for the reminder. It is a good one. I needed that!