The “Worthiness” Game and Learning to Accept God’s Love
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 3:23-24
Lately, I’ve been playing the “worthiness” game and losing… big time.
As I evaluate my thoughts and actions, I tend to rely on a standard of perfection—an unattainable scale that shows no mercy. Stepping out of line, even by a metaphorical millimeter, results in automatic failure. The cost of such failure? God’s love, itself.
Ouch. Legalism hurts.
So, instead of encouraging my heart to seek Him in prayer or in the Word, this broken system creates shame; and, this shame only pushes me further away from that life-giving fellowship with God. Then, as I become more keenly aware that I do not deserve my Savior and His boundless, gentle care, I fold my arms and, much like a fussy toddler, protest: “Surely, I must do something to earn all of this! And, until I do, I won’t allow myself to experience any of His love—not even one bit.”
Sound familiar?
As believers in Christ, though our priorities may be in the right place, our perspectives, at times, can become skewed. What begins as a denying of the flesh and a taking up of one’s cross, can end in a focus on self-sufficiency, which the LORD never intended. There is a marked difference between surrendering to the Spirit—humbly coming to be cleaned, over and over again, in the precious blood of the Lamb—and stepping in front of God, with a sponge and bucket of muddy water, in an attempt to rub ourselves spotless. One brings spiritual maturity, and the other stunts our growth in the Kingdom.
Slowly, I’ve been learning, that the love of God doesn’t come with an expiration date; and, it certainly doesn’t depend on me! At my best, I am no closer to meriting His goodness, than at my worst. There is, simply, nothing I can do to deserve Him—to make the Creator of the universe indebted to love. For that truth, I am eternally grateful.
Herein, lies the great, beautiful mystery of our LORD: He chooses to love us.
He, Who spoke the myriad of stars onto the sky and for Whom the great nations of the world are mere specks of dust, yet dedicates Himself to the intimate knowledge of His creations—to counting the hairs on our heads and working all things out for our good. We have repaid Him with curses, rebellion, and infidelity; but, rather than turning back from such undeserving beings, He provided Immanuel—“God with us”—to save whomsoever will approach the Son in faith. This kind of love is hard to comprehend, because it defies the selfish tendencies of our human nature.
And, that’s the point.
God doesn’t love us like we deserve to be loved. Hallelujah! He loves us above and beyond our wildest dreams—abundantly, deeply, unceasingly. When we imagine to have reached the bottom of His mercies, we will come to find their surface, merely, skimmed. My friend, you are not powerful enough to outlast the love of our God and King.
I am reminded of a certain parable, shared by Christ, during His earthly ministry. For all of us, who are prone to turning guilt into doubt, the story of the “prodigal son” gives the last word on God’s love for His children. It’s found in Luke 15:11-32, and centers on a man with two sons. The younger of the pair (bearing, in mind, that his father is not, yet, deceased) requests his portion of the inheritance. Immediately, the boy squanders his newfound wealth on every carnal pleasure and, in a very short time, runs out of resources and hope. Without food or comfort and reduced to laboring in a field of pigs, the son is overcome with remorse and longs for home. When he turns back to the family he had known, his thought is to labor, as a lowly servant, for his father. Much to his surprise, not only does he gain permission to rejoin the household, but he is, also, welcomed with open arms and a grand feast. The father, though brazenly forsaken by his “prodigal son,” deals with him from a place of grace. Troubles of the past melt away in the embrace of repentance. Yesterday is long-forgotten—the garments of sin exchanged for robes of righteousness.
This is exactly how God sees us—the same overwhelming joy with which He receives every son who, forsaking sin, runs into the arms of the One for Whom he was made.
But, is such forgiveness an excuse to sin—the spoils of sonship, including the right to indulge the flesh and suppress the Spirit?
Absolutely not!
Grace is, by no means, a license for licentiousness. To regard it otherwise, is to grossly misunderstand the need for sanctification in the life of the believer, and to view the LORD as little more than a “get out of Hell free” card. Yet, the importance of grace—God’s bestowing, upon man, more than he could possibly deserve—cannot be overstated. There is a divine peace, which the world cannot afford, that comes from understanding one’s relationship to his Savior.
Herein, lies the danger of the “worthiness” game: it thrives on a false foundation of retributive love; and, that’s not Who God is—not even close.
He doesn’t prey on our failures or find satisfaction when we fall. He is not our Accuser, but our Comforter. He is that father—brows knit in concern and heart yearning to restore His beloved prodigal. Our Heavenly Father reaches down from on High—not to crush us, but to bind our wounds and wipe away our tears!
Dear son or daughter of the Most High, when the lies of Satan attempt to overshadow the declarations of worth that God has lavished upon you, cling tightly to the revelation of “El Roi,” the “God Who Sees Me.” There is not a single moment—from the instant of your conception, as He knit you together in the womb, up until now—that the LORD of all the earth has not held you in His heart. Oh blessed agape love!
Precious Savior, surround us in Your sweet embrace; bring us back home, again and again, until faith becomes sight. Amen.
For further reading: Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16; 8:44; 10:10-11, 28-30; Genesis 16:13; Psalm 34:15; 51:7; 100:5; 139; 147:3-5; Romans 4:4-5; 5:1-2; 6:1-4, 13-14; 8:1, 28; Luke 9:23; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; 3:5; 5:21; 1 John 1:6-9; 4:9-10; Galatians 5:16; Isaiah 7:14; 40:15, 17; 61:10; 64:6; Matthew 1:22-23; 10:29-31; Lamentations 3:22-23; Philippians 3:9; 4:6-7; 1 Peter 1:6-9; 2 Peter 3:9.