Many people struggle with living righteously because they try to achieve it through their own efforts, without relying on the power of Jesus Christ. This approach is futile, and that’s where the struggle comes from. Without Him, we can do nothing. Jesus says this, “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.” –John 5:15 (TPT)
He chose you and you answered His call. His grace is what brought you to salvation. Grace is the abundant and overflowing transformative power and undeserved favor of God. Your salvation and your life are now found in Christ—He is your life and your life is hidden in Him. (Colossians 3:3-4) You are now one with Him. (Ephesians 2:8-9) His righteousness is now your righteousness; He gave you the gift of righteousness through His work at the cross, and now you share in it with Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21) We live by His faith, and He has given us His holiness as a gift. (Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 10:10)
The love you show flows from Him because He loved you first‐-He is love. (1 John 4:19) You can forgive because He forgave all your sins, removing them from you forever. (Colossians 3:13, Psalm 103:12) Jesus is the foundation of everything in your new life. He is your life, and your life is found in Him. (1 Corinthians 3:11, Galatians 2:20)
Immerse yourself in His Word. Meditate on these spiritual truths and talk with Jesus. Remind yourself of the goodness of God. Remember that you are one with Christ and the nourishment from the living vine of Jesus Christ is feeding you and refreshing you daily by His nurturing love, his tender mercy, and his neverending abundant grace despite any of your personal shortcomings.
“But God still loved us with such great love. He is so rich in compassion and mercy. Even when we were dead and doomed in our many sins, he united us into the very life of Christ and saved us by his wonderful grace! He raised us up with Christ the exalted One, and we ascended with him into the glorious perfection and authority of the heavenly realm, for we are now co-seated as one with Christ!”
-Ephesians 2:4-6 (TPT)
The Holy Spirit is working within you, guiding you in His ways, bringing the fruit of the Spirit to maturity in you for the glory to God for the world to see! (Galatians 5:22-23) You were created to depend on Jesus completely. Trying to live like Him by your own might, without His power and separate from the newness of life that you have in Him, will only lead to the unnecessary pressure to perform and conviction in your own heart when you fail to meet a himanly impossible standard that you’ve set for yourself.
Jesus extended the invitation to rest from the burden of self-effort. In Matthew 11: 28-29, He said, “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear.”
How do we partake in this amazing grace? We recieve everything that Christ has already accomplished for us by faith. Simply believe Him. Take Him at His word. His word is life!! His word is life-changing!!
The beauty of sonship in Christ is that He never asks us to carry the weight of righteous living on our own. Instead, He invites us to lay down our burdens and rest in His grace, learning from Him and walking in His strength. We are invited to partake in His victory. When we stop striving through our own efforts and allow His Spirit to lead us, we find true peace and transformation. Righteousness, love, forgiveness, and holiness all flow from our relationship with Him. So, trust in Christ fully, knowing that His yoke is easy, His burden is light, and He provides all we need for life and godliness. Let go of self-effort, and embrace the abundant life He has for all who believe.
