Maybe I Don’t Want My Inheritance

So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:7

Ever since we had the birds and the bees talk, my children have been a little wary of my desire to talk about anything too serious. Whenever I want to discuss something important, they may not know exactly what’s coming, but they’re suspicious that it might get uncomfortable. Whether it’s relationship advice or a discussion on the danger of drugs and alcohol, it’s always something that I believe needs to be shared. They however, to avoid the discomfort of the conversation, would gladly live in ignorance of the knowledge that I wish to impart. I get it. When it comes to some topics, it can be difficult to learn from our parents.

This doesn’t mean they won’t accept anything from me though. When it comes to helping to pay for vehicles and school, they don’t mind my assistance. I get that too. I was the same way. I was happy to accept my parents financial help, while remaining wary of their offers of life wisdom. I wanted to define my inheritance, taking and leaving the parts I wanted and didn’t want.

We’re like that with God. Yes, we believe, and we want to be his children, but we want our inheritance on our terms. When we hear that as his heirs, we receive forgiveness, love, and mercy, we’re quite interested. When we’re struggling with something and learn that we can find freedom in Christ, we’re all in. When however, we realize exactly what freedom in Christ may mean, our commitment wavers.

In theory, we want to be free from our addictions to sex, pornography, food, pride, anger, success, or money. In practicality though, we’re honestly not sure we want to give those things up. We want the new life, because the old one made us miserable, but the old life has become part of us and leaving it is going to be painful and violent.

In my addiction, I desperately wanted freedom, but I also remember thinking, How am I going to live the rest of my life without my drugs? I don’t know if I can. As God’s child, I wanted to inherit the freedom for which he made me, but when it came down to the reality of it, I wasn’t so sure.

In today’s passage, Paul reminds us – You are God’s child. Live like it. Every day, leave behind your old life and embrace the new one that he created for you to inherit. It may hurt to leave the old ways, but your loving father only wants what’s best for you.