The other day I was driving downtown for some errands, and I was looking for a parking spot and I realize, “I get good parking downtown fairly often”. I was getting closer and closer to where I needed to go, and parking wasn’t showing up, and I thought to myself, “don’t worry, you have faith that God will provide a good parking spot.” I gave my head a shake after that. “Really? Is that why I often get good parking spots?” Then the truth came in. I actually think I DESERVE good parking spots! What would lead me to that? I’m not totally sure, but maybe it is a bit of theology that says, “Jesus loves you, so you will get the best of everything.” otherwise known as “prosperity theology”. Which, in case you’re wondering, is wrong.
So I wonder how many of us do this: expect things in “faith” that is actually expected in entitlement not faith. I know people do, because tragedy strikes, a job is lost, a family member gets sick, and there is a reaction like, “What the heck? I had faith that my family would stay healthy! I had faith I would keep my job!” But did you have faith? Or did you just figure, “I deserve to have a healthy, happy family and a job”?
If I had to blame one thing for this misunderstanding, it would be a lack of understanding of the Bible. God does not promise us a good job, He does not promise that all our family will always be healthy. So when you say you are having faith in God maintaining these things, you are not having faith in God, but rather, your IDEA of God. A figment of your imagination. Let me say it another way.
If you have faith in God to do something He has not promised to do, your faith is worthless. Faith is only as strong as the object you place it in.
The issue is we look around at people and think, “They have a healthy family, a good job, a nice house, so I deserve one too.” That is a lie. We only deserve to be in hell for our sins. And regardless of how many people enjoy the things you long for, you are not entitled to receive them. I am not entitled to receive them.
So it is comparisons to others that starts this. It is walking by sight and not by faith that begins the growth of entitlement which we believe is faith. How ironic.
So let us have faith in something that won’t disappoint us in the long run, though we may feel disappointed at times: God is good, God is love, Jesus loves us. Let us truly walk by faith and not by sight.
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