For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. — Ephesians 2:8 & 9
One of the things I often struggle with is knowing when to turn things off. I’m a perfectionist and competitive by nature. I want to do things right, but also be the absolute best at them. It usually results in me working way too much or way too hard.
I’m often reminded of this by my family. It may be a subtle remark, or perhaps even as shocking as my son coming into my office and refusing to take no for an answer. Sometimes I have to take a step back from my pursuit of perfection and realize that having something complete is not so bad after all.
The hardest part of this all is that sometimes I have to realize that I need to let others take care of things for me. It means I need to take my hands off and trust others. That can be so challenging when you are a perfectionist. Or a Christian!
One of the most amazing things about being a Christian is that redemptions work was completed for us. We no longer have to sacrifice animals to atone for sin. We no longer live under Old Testament law, because Jesus Christ fulfilled the law. Now, we live under grace. It’s a completed work that only required faith.
Yet, so many times we seem to believe that we must do so much to “achieve” status in our Christian lives. Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross so that we might be saved through faith. The only requirement for this redemption? To accept it and believe in Him.
That’s where the difficulty lies so many times. We do not want to let go of things in our lives. We would rather try to hold on and do it all ourselves, never trusting in the fact that Jesus Christ has conquered death and sin.
Perhaps you have spent your life believing that you must do so many things to be a Christian. Scripture teaches us that it is as simple as faith and belief. Once you are a Christian, it is learning to let go of things and let God have control. Who is in control of things in our lives? If it isn’t God, then perhaps it’s time you let go.
