A Good Enough Christian

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Sometimes I feel like I’m a good enough person. I attend church every Sunday, I volunteer, and I’ve been called a goody-goody before, but I’ve come to the realization that it isn’t enough.

I beat myself up inside when I make a mistake. When I wish I hadn’t said something or don’t follow the rules.

It’s hard because people say that I’m a good person. I like to hear that. I enjoy that standard. The problem is it’s harder for me to admit that I am actually just as much of a failure as everybody else.

I try not to be prideful about it and I hope that’s not what you are thinking because I’m not trying to brag. I finally realized that I mess up, a lot. I’m not perfect. I’ve known that I’m not the best, but it didn’t fully sink in. I need to be saved from my sin just as much as anyone else. I struggle with that. I always want to compare myself to others and say, “Well, I’m not as bad as so and so. I’m still pretty good.”

When really, that’s not what matters.

Did you know that The Grand Canyon is gigantic, 277 miles long?

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You can stand on one side and try to jump across but you will never make it. Even if you could jump almost to the other side, we know it is impossible. But what if there was a bridge?  Then you wouldn’t need to jump.  Jesus is like the bridge that spands from one side to the other.  With this bridge, anyone can reach the other side. Anyone can cross. They don’t have to do anything super great. They only need to accept that the bridge will take them to the other side and walk across.  That is what it is like with Jesus. Jesus, is perfect and he died, so that we can enter heaven.  Without him, as our bridge, we won’t reach the other side.  Jesus states, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The point I’m trying to make is that none of us are perfect, me included. I mess up. I shouldn’t think of myself as better than others. I’m a sinner who needs Jesus just as much as anyone else. I don’t know where I would be without Him. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Which means, we all make mistakes and none of us is perfect. Then in Romans 6:23 it says “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The other point I’m trying to make is that us (you and me) will never be able to make our way to Heaven on our own. You ready for another example? Ok, say that someone murdered (I know it’s a little harsh, but it gets the point across.) your mom. Wouldn’t you want the judge to give a fair trial? What if the person guilty of the crime pleaded, “Well, yes, I did this horrible thing, but look I’ve done all these other great things!”

If the judge let him or her go free of charge, would you think the judge is fair? Most people would explain that he’s a terrible judge. (I borrowed this example from the movie Courageous). This is also the way God works. He doesn’t judge us by the good things we do, but by what we do wrong.

You may be thinking, well then I guess I’m toast. I would be too, but there is this amazing thing called grace. We don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it, and there is no way to buy it. But it is free to accept. In Acts 16:31 it says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.” That’s all there is to it. How simple, am I right? It’s amazing that God cared enough to send his son to die for me and you and all of us. That’s the takeaway I want to leave you with. God forgives us each and every time we mess up. Most importantly, we don’t have to be perfect to believe in Him. So, what’s holding you back from trusting in what Jesus has done for you?

I got contacts last week! If you wear them, do you have any tips??

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