What if some of the things we believe we’re entitled to are actually gifts? After my birthday solo trip, I came home realizing that God had shifted something in me. I went away expecting one thing, but He gave me something I didn’t even know I needed: stillness, perspective, growth, and a deeper understanding of gratitude. God has been showing me that I’m not entitled to love, forgiveness, loyalty, compassion, relationships, opportunities, financial stability, or even the way I think certain relationships should look. That doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to want those things, or that I’m not allowed to be hurt when I don’t receive them. But there’s a difference between wanting something and believing I’m owed it. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” — James 1:17 Everything good we receive is a gift. And when I started seeing things that way, it changed the way I looked at forgiveness, grace, relationships, my father, myself, and even the choices other people make. God has also been reminding me that grace is something I’ve received, not something I earned. Ephesians 2:8–9 reminds us that we are saved by grace through faith—it is a gift from God. So if grace has been freely extended to me, what does it look like for me to extend grace to others? That brought me to forgiveness. In Matthew 18:21–22, Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone, and Jesus responds with seventy times seven. Forgiveness doesn't mean pretending we weren't hurt or saying what happened didn't matter. It means refusing to let the hurt become our prison. I’m learning that I can’t control when people change, how they respond, or the choices they make. I can’t change the past. But I can choose how I respond. I can choose grace. I can choose compassion. I can choose to make room for growth. And sometimes, we have to remember that we only see someone's choice—we don't always see the choices they had. We judge the person who chose the hot sauce without knowing that their only other option was lemon juice. We don't know what someone was carrying.We don't know what they knew.We don't know what they were afraid of.We don't know what options they had. So maybe we need to give each other a little more grace. another thing God taught me on my trip is something about comfort. Being in an unfamiliar city forced me to adapt, navigate, make decisions, and trust God in ways I wasn't used to. I realized that sometimes being comfortable can keep us stagnant, while unfamiliar environments can introduce us to another version of ourselves. And through it all, I kept coming back to Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I can do hard things. I can grow. I can change. I can surrender. I can become who God is calling me to be. I’m also learning to trust God's timing instead of constantly trying to control the outcome. Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to trust in the Lord rather than leaning on our own understanding. I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I can trust the One who does. And maybe one of the hardest lessons has been learning to give myself the same grace I’m so quick to give other people. God has been showing me that becoming more compassionate doesn't mean I'm not already compassionate. It means there's always more room to grow—to be gentler, softer, more gracious, and more loving. So this week, I want you to reflect with me: Where have you been feeling entitled to something God never promised you? What changes when you stop seeing it as something you're owed and start seeing it as a gift? Everything is a gift. Grace is a gift.Love is a gift.Forgiveness is a gift.Community is a gift.Opportunities are gifts.Life itself is a gift. And when we recognize that, our posture changes from entitlement to gratitude. “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” — James 1:17 May we learn to receive God's gifts with gratitude, extend the grace we've received, and trust Him with the things we cannot control.
