Today, I want to talk further about what it means to live in your birthright as a Christian. In order to experience the fullest measure of blessing, you have to guard your inheritance by walking a narrow road. In other words, the only way to reap the full reward of being His child is to become more like Him, and that requires you to swim upstream against culture. 

I don’t think there is any greater threat to our birthright today than instant gratification. We live in a society that is unlike any other in history. If we’re hungry, we don’t even have to put on socks to get our food. Beyond the pizza delivery and Chinese takeout of the 1980’s and 90’s, we have a slew of options right at our fingertips through services like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Then there’s digital entertainment. Only 15 years ago, if we wanted to see a movie, we had to sit in a theater or go to a store called Blockbuster, pick out a VHS tape, and stand in line to rent it. Today, we have nearly every movie, documentary, and television series ever made at the touch of a button, with no effort required. Add to that online shopping sites like Amazon that enable us to pick something out and in some cases have it on our doorstep the same day, and you can see why our culture has the expectation of instant gratification. 

Friend, being a Christian is not an instant, over-the-counter, or microwave life. The fruit of the Spirit only grows sweet and nourishing over the course of time, and the richest harvest of blessings only comes through the pain of process. In fact, delayed gratification is a requirement of experiencing the fullness of your birthright. Don’t trade a joy-filled and peace-infused existence on the narrow road for a few shallow and temporarily-satisfying pleasures that only leave you feeling more empty!