The Opposite of Entitlement is Grace

God Strength of Homes

29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31

Exactly a year ago today, we were also attending this retreat in ICS. Yet everything was different then. 

• I have been 2 months out of work
• Dad is in the hospital
• I was gaunt from stress
• The waiting is midway for open doors

Everything seemed bleak but we're hopeful and held on to His promise.

How will He restore? No idea. But He had a purpose.

That was a time of purification. The valley. The heat of the refiner's fire. But for what reason?

Somehow i felt i deserved to be rewarded for obeying Him.

He specifically told me, SOMETIMES, I LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN FOR YOU TO CHOOSE ME

i chose to obey. I felt i deserved to be rewarded. Unlike them

I deserved better than this. I felt ENTITLED.

Ptr Sur spoke about this very topic last year. Yet God has His ways of driving His point. Little did I know that He wanted to drive this point HARD.

After the retreat, i continued my wait. I applied for work. None opened. Why? I kept asking God.

3, 4, 5 months went by. No work. No leads. Nothing. 

But has has been gracious to our family, where He held off, He provided through other means. God provided through my wife. We had exactly what we needed at the exact right time. 

Im grateful that i have the most wonderful wife. Who understood what we're going through. Even in my despair, she persisted.

6 months came. An opportunity arose, it was a contractual work for another 6 months. Typically i wouldn't accept this. I prayed about it, and the door slowly opened.

How? Without expectation i took the interview. I passed. Only to find later that the opportunity has closed. 

Typical. 

But it opened again. The initial offer was below what i was receiving from my previous company. Considering this is a contractual work. But my some miracle, the offer letter was entirely different.

By the time i started work, i was alone. It was an entirely different culture. Entirely beyond my comfort zone. Eastwood. No convenient commutes. I even had to walk all the way from Eastwood to Ortigas during heavy rains.

It was during one of these commutes that God illustrated how He works.

Have you ever hailed a cab after walking for quite some distance. You know the cab driver saw you and you knew he stopped for you? Then walking towards the cab, you saw an older man riding your cab. You insist that you saw the cab first and not gave up the ride to another.

After this i felt bad. I felt guilty. I asked God why am i feeling bad? I deserved that ride!

Grace. You give grace as grace was given to you. That was impressed to me by God.

The opposite of entitlement is grace.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Parable of vineyard workers (matthew 20:1-16) - not by your works! But by grace

That was the lesson being taught during this time. The work I'm getting? Grace. My family? Grace. My parents? Grace. Matteo? Grace. Everything is by grace!

Even the contractual work i have for 6 months? Grace. Request for extension 2 months? Grace.

The new job opportunity? Grace. The opportunity to be with a pioneering company? Grace. To be part of a big ambitious team? Grace. To be in this retreat? Grace. To be able to afford this retreat? Grace.

Everything by grace. Not by my own work.

By grace through faith i am being restored, not by works. Lest i should feel boastful and start having entitlement feelings.

So where do we find our strength in God? Hope of grace.

Grace upon grace.

Other impressions

• Grace
• Obedience requires waiting - like Noah
• He is the firm foundation - trusting in Him. Drinking from His stream even in droughts by prayer, reading his word, finding encouragement from brethren