You Can’t Earn It

It’s Time for You to Be in Awe of God’s Goodness

Therefore, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty

of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus….

Romans 8:1 (AMPC)

In the world we live in, it’s common for us to “earn” things. We earn a living by working. We can strive to earn people’s approval or goodwill. And the list goes on. However, when it comes to God, there’s nothing we can do to earn His love, forgiveness, and acceptance.

Today, I’m talking about another “wilderness mentality”:

“I don’t deserve God’s blessings, because I am not worthy.”

Because of the sexual abuse I suffered growing up at the hands of my father, I had a shame-based nature. I blamed myself for what had happened to me, although there was nothing I could have done to stop it.

The enemy constantly told me that I was no good—that I was unworthy of God’s love or help. I wasn’t just ashamed of what was done to me, I was ashamed of myself.

I felt like I wandered around in the wilderness for years, trying to be good enough to deserve what God wanted to give me freely by His grace. I had a wilderness mentality! But whether it’s God’s love, salvation, forgiveness, or the many promises in His Word, there’s nothing we can do to “earn” them.

For years, I dealt with such guilt and condemnation after I would do something wrong. I repented and asked the Lord to forgive me, but I couldn’t let it go. I felt like I needed to pay for what I had done by feeling bad about myself.

First John 1:9 (NIV) says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

It took a change in my thinking to simply receive what God wanted to give me—His forgiveness. In the process, the Lord also helped me to see the importance of having a positive self-image. We shouldn’t always focus on everything we do wrong and how far we have to go, but we should look at how far we have come!

We must realize that we can never deserve God’s blessings—we can never be worthy of them. We can only humbly accept and appreciate them...and be in awe of how good He is and how much He loves us.

Study Tips: Today, I want you to see for yourself what God says about you. Read the following scriptures and take some time to really digest what they mean.

Galatians 4:7

Romans 8:38-39

2 Corinthians 5:21

Ephesians 1:3

Psalm 139

Read Numbers 13:33. How does the way we think of ourselves affect the way others see us?

Prayer: Remember, God’s love, forgiveness, and acceptance is available to everyone. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your Savior, I invite you to open your heart to Him and pray right now:

“Jesus, I know that I have made mistakes and I need You to save my life—I need You as my Savior. I have tried to do things on my own for too long, and I know it doesn’t work. So, today I give my life to You. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that You rose from the dead. Help me to live my life for You and You alone. Thank You for Your unending love, forgiveness, and grace in my life. Thank You for a fresh start! Today, I start out my new life as a part of Your family."

If you just prayed this prayer, I want welcome you to God’s family! I also want to share some encouraging scripture verses about your new life in Christ: John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 1:4, 2:8-9; 1 John 1:9, 4:14-15, 5:1, 5:12-13.