For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.
Performance. Proving yourself to whomever you are concerned with is a common action that we as human do. Every part of this world is about proving yourself. Consider the popular tv programs. Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, X-Factor, and even most storylines in sitcoms and drama tv shows alike have a character at some point prove their worth for something or to someone.
It is quite tempting as a human being to learn that we have to prove ourselves. Even if that means bending the truth a little bit.
God is not of this world and because of that the way God works is not connected to the way the world works. As I was reading Jesus Calling I was struck by this phrase:
You don’t have to perform well in order to receive My Love. In fact, a performance focus will pull you away from Me, toward some form of Pharisaism.
You see there is no performance for the Love of God. God made us and He knows exactly who we are and more importantly whose we are, and that is God’s children in Christ Jesus. The grace of God has been given to us as a gift and did you catch the important part of that passage.
This is not from your yourselves.
There is no amount of performance that can make us worthy of God’s grace, but it is given to us freely! You don’t have to prove yourself to God.
HE ALREADY LOVES YOU COMPLETELY.
I AM PLEASED WITH YOU, MY CHILD. Allow yourself to become fully aware of My pleasure shining upon you. -Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (Nov 20 entry)
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in you inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
-Ephesians 3:16-19
There is joy in the morning! Today I pray that you understand just how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ! KNOW that this knowledge surpasses your understanding. KNOW that you will be filled to the fullness of God!
Praise God for his faithfulness to us!
So, stop performing and start knowing.