For better spiritual vision, believers need a strong understanding of the nature of grace. God offers it to us regardless of our behavior. He never intended for us to carry the weight of our Christian journey through sweat, struggle, and self-effort. Relying on God instead of ourselves allows us to partake of what Jesus accomplished for us without the toil.
We’ve been taught that if we just work longer, perform better, and do more religious activities, God will be pleased with us. However, grace doesn’t operate on the basis of our achievements. If His blessings depended on what we could do, grace would no longer be grace. Thankfully, God’s favor flows from His goodness, not from our performance.
When we stumble, religion tells us to try harder, but Jesus points us to something better. Even when we miss the mark, we have an advocate with the Father; Jesus, Himself paid the price not only for our sins but also for the entire world. Our confidence, therefore, isn’t in our ability to be perfect but in what He did on our behalf.
God demonstrated His love in the most powerful way possible by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. He didn’t wait for us to get everything together before extending His love. Grace reaches us right where we are, and salvation is offered freely to everyone who receives it by faith. Because of that, we can stop striving to qualify for what God has already provided.
Jesus tasted death for everyone as a propitiation for everyone’s sins; He was the embodiment of the grace of God who brought salvation to all men. This ensured that we could live in relationship with Him. When we run out of our own supply, God’s supply is waiting for us. Shifting our focus from our constant works to His finished works frees us from constantly striving.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for rescuing us from self-effort and teaching us to trust completely in You. Help us rest in Your Son’s finished works and rely on You every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
Romans 11:6, AMPC
1 John 2:1, 2
Romans 5:8
Titus 2:11
Hebrews 2:9