30 Days Of Emotional HealthSample

What would you give to spare the life of a loved one? I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t sacrifice for those I love, especially my children. It’s easy to assign great worth to those we love. Yet, so often we short-change our value and forget our worth in Christ.

I often size myself up to others, doubting I’m good enough, working hard enough, or am faithful enough. Those thoughts leave me feeling empty and unloved. So I keep working harder, erroneously thinking God will love me more if I perform better. When I act like this, I’m trying to earn God’s love that’s already been given fully through Christ.

Jews in Jesus’ time struggled with this striving mentality, too. The religious leaders had created many tedious rules for people to follow in order to live a holy and God-pleasing life. But Jesus came to erase this tradition of tallying up the good and bad. He bought our salvation once and for all when He paid for our sins with His life—His perfect life for our sinful one. That’s how much our God loves us.

1st Peter chapter 1 illustrates that you were bought at a high price. Your Heavenly Father adopted you as His child, and Christ was willing to take the punishment your sin deserved so you wouldn’t have to. How does it make you feel to know He counted you worthy of that kind of sacrifice? Live in the security of that deep love today.

~ Andrea Chatelain

Blogger, devotional writer