Living Like a King’s Daughter
Ever wondered why little girls dream of being a princess?
For centuries, long before movies like Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, or Frozen became popular, little girls have been strongly drawn to the princess narrative.
Why do you think that is?
Personally, I believe it’s because God has placed the realization of royalty deep in our hearts – as a way of drawing us toward our intended destiny.
Every single one of us.
After all, trusting Jesus reunites us with His Father’s heart, right?
And our Heavenly Father is, in fact, a king…the King of all kings!
So it stands to reason that our newly-restored relationship with our Heavenly Father would affect how we think of ourselves, live our lives, treat others, and allow others to treat us.
So whether you’re a girly-girl, full-on tomboy, or anywhere in between, I believe there’s a queenly grace God intends for YOU to enjoy and walk in as His beloved girl.
YOUR ABBA’S HEART
As your Heavenly Father’s treasured daughter, you are the absolute apple of His eye. But by earthly standards, this may sound way too good to be true.
Maybe you never felt loved or protected by your father – or your relationships with men have left you feeling anything but cherished?
Yet the following passages read so much like a love letter, they’re difficult to ignore:
I will call…her who was not beloved, “beloved.”
ROMANS 9:25
He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
2 SAMUEL 22:20
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
PSALM 17:8
The King’s daughter is all glorious within.
PSALM 45:13
While it may take time for your heart to feel God’s fatherly love, the unmistakable fact remains…you are a much-beloved daughter of the King of kings!
Today let’s explore four huge BENEFITS of living like the King’s daughter you truly are.
HOW YOU THINK
Just as we inherit traits like hair or eye color from our biological parents, we inherit beauty, dignity, and purpose from our Heavenly Father.
That is simply who He is.
And now, because of Him, that is who we are.
Do you find it difficult to think of yourself in this way?
Just as we inherit traits like hair or eye color from our biological parents, we inherit beauty, dignity, and purpose from our Heavenly Father.
- Are negative thoughts about yourself easier to think than positive?
- Have past experiences seemingly “proved” your lack of beauty, dignity, or purpose? If so, is there a lie imbedded in that so-called “proof”?
- What are some thoughts you could replace those negative thoughts with, each time they come up? Is there a Scripture you could embrace that helps you think of yourself as your Father God does?
- What are some small, practical ways you could start embracing your royal identity today?
King’s daughter qualities: Beauty. Dignity. Purpose.
HOW YOU LIVE
Once again, picture having been raised by a father who’s both a devoted dad and a just ruler.
(once again, you may need to use your imagination on this)
Picture the kind of relationship you’d have with him.
What would it be like to always feel deeply loved, cared for, and understood? To never have to worry about where your next meal, hug, or word of affirmation is coming from. To always have a roof over your head and all the resources you need to live your life without fear. To be genuinely accepted for who you are, yet also firmly and lovingly challenged to live up to your full potential and represent the kingdom well.
What must that be like?
That’s who your Heavenly Father wants to be for you. And who, in fact, He already is.
What if you could truly embrace those things about Him on a day-to-day basis?
What would it be like to always feel deeply loved, cared for, and understood by your Heavenly Father?
- How might your heart respond to your Heavenly Father if it truly sank in how much he already loves you? (Ephesians 3:14-19 MSG)
- Is there a step of obedience your Father is calling you to? Have you ever thought of obedience as a way of expressing your love to Him – or connecting your hearts together more deeply? (John 14:15; John 15:19)
- Would you be willing to ask your Father for wisdom in a specific situation, rather than just winging it on your own? (James 1:5)
- What’s an area you need to grow in confidence that God the Father is always with you and for you? Learning these verses might be a good way to start… (Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrews 13:5b)
How a King’s daughter lives: Lovingly. Wisely. Obediently. Confidently.
HOW YOU TREAT OTHERS
It’s easy to think of our relationship with our God as only being between Him and us. Yet a deep connection with our Heavenly Father, by its very nature, spills over into the way we treat others.
For one thing, the way He treats us gives us an overflow of love to share with those around us.
For another, we are His living breathing representatives, His royal ambassadors. We are His very heart walking around on the earth.
Consider, as an example, how most Disney princesses treat others:
- They don’t behave selfishly, ignore those in need, or whine as if all is lost.
- They do extend kindness, grace, respect, and a regal sense of fair play. They extend mercy, help others, and delight in what is good – and they’re willing to stand up for what is right and fight for what they believe in.
The more we focus on how much our kingly Father loves us (and truly is there for us, even when we’re unaware of it), the more we are freed up to treat others that way too.
Though even Disney princesses and daughters of the King have low moments of temporary doubt, the more convinced we become of God’s ongoing goodness and love toward us, the more able we will be to treat others with queenly grace.
As daughters of the King, we are His living, breathing representatives – His heart walking around on the earth.
- Have you ever found yourself panicking and treating others harshly in a tense or rushed situation? Next time you’re feeling stressed, try reminding yourself that you’re NOT ALONE and that God is there to help you treat others kindly AND navigate the challenge.
- When (or with whom) do you find it most difficult to practice kindness, grace, and respect? What tends to be your thought pattern in those moments? How could you reframe this negative pattern in the future?
- Do those you live or work with experience the best or the worst side of you? Who is one person you could practice treating more [kindly/graciously/respectfully/justly] this week? Ask your Heavenly Father to remind your of His love for you – and for them – as you do this.
- How could you show kindness to someone this week? (either openly or in secret) Ask the Lord for creative ideas on how to do this. Imagine brightening that person’s day, with God’s help!
How a King’s daughter treats others: Kindly. Graciously. Respectfully. Justly.
HOW OTHERS TREAT YOU
Our culture is very “offendable” these days – to the point that it can be intimidating to even express an opinion online. Yet for all our offendability, many people – women especially – don’t seem to have many healthy personal boundaries to protect them from harm. They often allow others into intimate places in their lives, both in person and online, without ever testing the waters to discover whether or not the person they just met is trustworthy – or even safe to be around.
Also, as Christians we often feel we ought to be “nice” (vs. kind) and “agreeable” (vs. respectful) to the point of never speaking up or setting clear boundaries for ourselves.
Yet the truth is, as a King’s daughter, we are called to be kind, gracious, and respectful AND maintain strong boundaries around what we will and WON’T do.
Setting healthy, godly boundaries, protects our own hearts and also give those around us a glimpse of our Father’s genuine truth, love, and purity. This honors our Father and represents His kingdom well, and is not an “un-nice” thing to do at all!
As a King’s daughter, you don’t have to tolerate being treated disrespectfully, dishonestly, dishonorably, or illegally.
And it is your birthright to say a strong “no” to such bad behavior.
That said, I do want to say a word about what setting healthy boundaries is not. It is NOT forcing others to change their behavior, “canceling” others the minute they don’t please you, or in any way being bossy, self-righteous, or unkind. It is simply having the inner strength – based on your life-giving relationship with your Heavenly Father, to say who you will and won’t do, and stand by it – even if it means removing yourself from an abusive situation or pressing charges if criminal behavior is involved.
That person stands or falls before the Lord, not you. But as a royal daughter of the King, you deserve to be treated with kindness, respect, and honor.
- Have you ever dated someone who regularly makes verbal jabs or gives you left-handed compliments? Does they ever say hurtful things and then claim they’re “just joking”? If so, you have every right to speak up, set a boundary, or even end the relationship if you’re not being treated respectfully. Is there anyone in your life that treats you this way?
- Is there anyone in your life who regularly doesn’t tell you the truth? Are you afraid to confront them about untruthfulness, for fear of losing the relationship? Remember that a relationship filled with lies will not be life-giving in the long run – and that as a King’s daughter, a basic level of truth and respect is due you.
- Is there anyone who treats you dishonorably? Perhaps someone who says speaks to you demeaningly, sexualizes conversations, or expects you to do or say things that are not honorable? If so, you have both the right – and the responsibility – to say no to such evil behavior. You may need the help of someone else to back you up, but know that this is NOT how the Lord wants you to be treated, as His beloved daughter!
- Is anyone treating you unjustly, according to the law of the land? Or otherwise treating you unfairly in a job or living situation? If so, you don’t have to “just take it.” While justice is not always guaranteed – and no one can be forced to treat you justly – you have every right to go through proper channels, press charges, or at the very least, change jobs, apartment buildings, or whatever it takes to make sure you’re safe and fairly treated. Is there a next step you need to take in the area of being treated justly?
- Remember that setting boundaries is not about forcing someone else to change their behavior, but rather setting boundaries about what you will do/accept/tolerate and what you won’t. This is the only thing that is fully within your control. Yet as a daughter of the King, you have EVERY right to set such boundaries.
How others treat a King’s daughter: Respectfully, Truthfully, Honorably. Justly.
LIVING LIKE A KING’S DAUGHTER
I believe God has placed the realization of royalty deep in our hearts…because being a King’s daughter is what EACH of us is destined for.KING’S DAUGHTER PRESCRIPTURE (pdf)
This King’s Daughter PreScripture is a resource to help you internalize the truth about your Father/daughter relationship with God.
(click on image below)
Here’s an audio version of the King’s Daughter PreScripture, in case that’s an easier way for you to process it.
KING’S DAUGHTER PRESCRIPTURE (mp3 audio)
I encourage you to pray this Scripture-based prayer as often as necessary, until the truth of your Father/daughter relationship with God permeates your heart, mind, and emotions.
Here’s the full PreScripture list…with free downloads for both pdf and audio!
(click here for PreScripture blogs #1-4)
- IDENTITY IN CHRIST PreScripture
- “MASTERING” THE DAILY PreScripture
- WISH-I-KNEW BASICS PreScripture
- KING’S DAUGHTER PreScripture
- RELATIONSHIPS PreScripture
- SMASHING STRONGHOLDS PreScripture
- PASSIONATE PURPOSE PreScripture
- INVESTING YOUR INHERITANCE PreScripture
I’ll be sharing about the remaining 4 PreScripture audios in future individual blogs, so be sure to join the DiscipleSips email list for notices of future posts!
If you share my passion to equip women for a lifestyle of discipleship, click here to learn about becoming a DiscipleSips Pour-Out Partner!
This was very encouraging and provided good detail about God’s heart for us.