Living Like a Daughter

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” - Galatians 4:4-7

I read Galatians 4 recently to prepare for a bible study I was attending. I’ve read Galatians a few times before, but it hit me differently this time around. I read it in a coffee shop, and it took me almost two hours to process all of it. When I got in my car to head home, I turned my music on like always, but the Lord told me to turn it off. So I did, and I just sat there for a minute in silence. It made me so uncomfortable, just to sit in the silence with the Lord. I almost couldn’t stand it. I realized there hasn’t been much silence at all in my life recently. I’ve filled it with noise, distractions, ministry, and what I’ve been calling worship. After a while I broke the silence and said to the Lord, “why do I feel so uncomfortable in your presence?” He said, “you usually do feel uncomfortable doing something you’ve avoided for so long.” It became blindingly clear to me that I’ve been avoiding the Lord’s presence and drowning out His voice in any way I can. I’ve been wondering why the Lord hasn’t been speaking to me as much as He used to, but the truth is, I haven’t given Him the opportunity to speak. Even if He tried, I wouldn’t be able to hear it. I’ve been attempting to silence the Lord because I’m afraid of what He may say. I’m afraid of what conviction or command it may bring. I’m afraid of intimacy with Him. I don’t want Him to look at me for too long, because I’m afraid He’ll find a flaw. 

You’re probably wondering what any of this has to do with the verses I put at the top of this page. Let me explain. I’ve gotten really good at “doing.” I show up to church usually 3 or 4 times a week. I read my bible everyday. I exclusively listen to worship music in my car. I pray multiple times a day. I serve. I lead. I do a lot of churchy things. I’ve gotten pretty good at being a servant, which is great, but I’m beginning to realize that I’m not very good at being a daughter. I’m not very good at sitting, listening, resting, communing, or praising. The Lord loves seeing me serve. A servant is something we’re commanded to be, but Galatians also tells me that, because of Jesus’s sacrifice for me, I am a daughter of the King. That means I don’t have to strive. I don’t have to compete. I don’t have to work harder or be better. I don’t have to do, do, do and go, go, go all the time. I can sit at the Father’s feet and rest from time to time. That Galatians bible study I went to isn’t one I go to regularly. In fact, the week before the Lord specifically told me not to go. But this time, He led me there, and as I sat there I heard the Lord say what He brought me there to hear. He said “I want you to be more like Mary and less like Martha.” Martha did a lot of things for the Lord, but she never sat in His presence. She did things for the Lord without the Lord in them at all. Truthfully, she didn’t know the man Jesus, Mary did. I want to be like Mary. That means I have to rest. I have to sit silently in His presence. I have to give Him my time and my attention. I have to stop running. I have to stop doing. I need to give Him me, not in part, but in full. 

Please hear me say it’s not wrong or bad to do all the churchy stuff. It becomes a problem when we believe that those things can save us or earn us favor in the eyes of God, or when we allow those things to prevent us from having an actual relationship with Him. Being a servant is great, but I am more than that to God. He sent His Son to die so I could be elevated to daughter. He did it for you, too. It’s time to start living like it. Live like a Child of God, because you are.