We become bondservants out of love.
Salvation places us in a unique relationship with Jesus. We become both sibling and friend. He is our Savior, our Lord, and our Brother. We have a divine right to use His name and His authority. He gives us boldness to enter the throne room as heirs of righteousness. But as we grow in greater understanding of who He is and what He has done, we take on another aspect of this relationship–servant.
I never liked the idea of being servant. I liked the picture of righteous heir and wielding authority over the enemy with boldness. But then I began to love my Lord more for His kindness to me. I realized that being servant is voluntary. When I lay aside my own rights to take on His, I am blessed.
Paul called himself a bondservant out of love. When you gaze into the eyes of your Savior, everything else seems trivial, but it costs to serve Him. You give up your need to demand and ask what is His will.
What was once growing and thriving can begin to wither when we are focused on what we want for ourselves. But when we give it to Jesus and ask what serves Him best, He will open new doors. Serving His will, not ours, brings us deeper into intimacy and blessing.