Part 5 of 12 / Grace: Living Free From Striving & Earning God's Love

Introduction

There is a quiet weight that many believers carry today, even after they have come to Christ.

It sounds like this:

"I need to do better . . ."

"I should be further along by now . . ."

"God must be disappointed in me . . ."

Even though you know Salvation is by Grace, something in you still feels like you have to earn God's approval, maintain His Love, or prove that you are worthy of what He has given. Grace was never meant to just save you, it was meant to sustain you. Until you fully understand Grace deeply, you will find yourself slipping back into striving, measuring your worth by your performance instead of actually resting fully into what Christ has already finished.

This week, we are going to slow down and allow His Grace to reshape how you see God and how you see yourself.

What Grace Really Means

Grace is often defined as "unmerited favor," but that definition, while true, barely scratches the surface. Grace is not just God giving you something you did NOT earn, it is God giving Himself to you fully, knowing you could never deserve it.

• "For by Grace you have been saved through Faith . . . not of works, lest anyone shoudl boast."

  - Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace Means:

• You Did Not Earn It

• You Cannot Maintain It Through Effort

• You Cannot lose It Because Of Failure

• Grace Is NOT Fragile

• Grace Is NOT Conditional

• Grace Is NOT Dependent On Your Consistency

Grace is rooted in who God is, NOT in what you do!

The End Of Striving

Striving begins when we subtly believe that what Jesus did was NOT enough.

We may never physically say it out loud, but our lives will reflect like it.

• Trying Harder To Be Accepted By Those Around Us

• Feeling Distant When We Fail

• Measuring Our Relationship With God Based on How "Good" We've Been

Scripture though brings us back to His Truth which says:

• "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified"

  - Hebrews 10:14

This verse alone holds a very powerful tension! This verse is saying:

• You Are Already Perfected In Christ

• You Are Still Being Transformed

What does this actually mean for you?

It means:

• Your Position In Christ Is Secure

• Your Growth Is Ongoing With Him

Striving says the opposite to us.

• Striving says: "I Need To Become Enough."

• Grace says, "In Christ, you are already are and now I will transform you."

• You Do Not See The Outcome

• You Do Not Understand The Delay

• You Do Not Feel God's Presence The Way You Want To

You do NOT work for acceptance, you live from acceptance!

God's Love Is Not Based On Your Performance

One of the hardest truths to truly believe is this:

God's Love For You Does NOT Fluctuate!

• NOT When You Succeed

• NOT When You Fail

• NOT When You Feel Close

• NOT When You Feel Distant

• " . . . neither death nor life . . . nor things present nor things to come . . . shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

Nothing literally means NOTHING!

There is no hidden clause:

• "Unless You Mess Up Too Much . . ."

• "Unless You Fall Back Into Old Habits . . ."

God's love is NOT fragile like human love!

• It Is Steady

• It Is Constant

• It Is Unchanging

Until these truth's sink deep into your heart, you will continue to relate to God as if He is keeping score. Let me remind you, God is NOT keeping score.

Grace Does Not Make You Careless - It Makes You ALIVE!

What is a common fear with the statement above?

• "If I fully accept Grace . . . won't I become complacent?"

Real Grace does NOT produce carelessness, it produces transformation!

• "For the Grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared . . . Teaching us that, denying ungodliness . . . we should live Soberly, Righteously, and Godly . . ." - Titus 2:11-12

Grace Teaches You! It does NOT teach you through Fear, but through His Love!

When you fully begin to understand Grace, this is what it begins to look like in your walk:

• You Do NOT Want To Run From God - You Run To Him

• You Do NOT Obey To Earn Love - You Obey Because You Have Received It

• You Do NOT Resist Sin Out Of Obligation - You Begin To Desire Something Better

Grace changes your Heart, NOT just your Behavior!

Living From Grace Daily

Grace is NOT just something you believed once, it is something you return to every single day!

Because of the pull towards striving is constant, you may notice it when it does the following:

• You Feel Distant After Making A Mistake

• You Hesitate To Pray Because You Do Not Feel Worthy

• You Compare Your Walk With Others

• You Feel Like You Need To "Get Right" Before Coming To God

Grace however, invites you to come as you are every single time!

• "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

Notice what this verse in Hebrews 4:16 is saying:

You do NOT come to God after you have fixed yourself; you come to God to BE HELPED.

Grace is NOT the reward for getting it right, it is the help you RECEIVE when you do not!

When You Fall - Grace Still Stands

Failure is often where our understanding of Grace is tested the most.

When we fall, the immediate instinct is often to:

• Pull Back

• Feel Ashamed

• Assume Distance From God

Grace responds much differently:

• "If we are Faithless, He remains Faithful; He cannot deny Himself." - 2 Timothy 2:13

God's Faithfulness is NOT dependent on yours. When you fall, Grace does NOT withdraw, it remains! In that moment, you have a choice:

• Run From God In Shame or Run To Him In Honesty

Grace gives you the CONFIDENCE to choose the second!

Conclusion

Grace is NOT just a doctrine, it is a WAY of LIVING.

Grace FREES You From:

• Constant Self-Evaluation

• Fear Of NOT Being Enough

• The Exhaustion Of Trying To Earn Your Place For What Has Already Been Given Freely

Grace incites you into REST. Not passive living, but PEACEFUL TRUST. You are NOT trying to become someone God will accept, but you are learning to LIVE as someone He ALREADY has!

Application

This week, practice living from Grace intentionally:

• When You Make A Mistake, Go To God Immediately, Do NOT Delay

• Notice In Moments Where You Feel Like You Need To "Earn" Your Way Back

• Replace Striving Thoughts With Truth

Practice this declaration: "I am NOT earning God's Love, I am living FROM God's Love. For His Grace is enough for me today."

Reflection Questions

1. In what ways do I still try to earn God's approval?

2. How do I usually respond when I fail, do I run toward God or away from Him?

3. Do I truly believe God's love for me is constant?

4. What would change if I fully lived from Grace instead of in striving?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for Your unfailing Grace. A Grace that we did not earn, and Grace that we cannot lose. Help us to stop striving and start resting in what You have already done for me. When we feel tha pressure to perform, remind us that Jesus has already finished the work itself on the Cross. Teach us to live from Your Love, not for it. When we fail, draw us back quickly. When we feel unworthy, reind us of who we are in You. Let Your Grace reshape our hearts, our thoughts, and our daily lives.

We ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Week 6 Preview

"Identity In Christ - Seeing Yourself The Way God Sees You."

Next week, we will dive in the depths of a life-changing truth:

• Who You Are Now That You Are In Christ!

• Why Your Old Identity No Longer Defines You!

• How To Break Free From Shame, Inseurity, and Comparison!

You will begin to see that the way you view yourself affects everything and God's view of you is far greateer than you every would even think.