Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I read this passage as I was writing today’s devotion.  I just imagine Paul as a principal lecturing a group of seniors who got caught rolling his yard the night before school started.   

Today, we will continue unpacking the idea that we do not gain salvation or God’s grace through human effort but rather faith in Him. Paul is telling them that Jesus was clearly crucified, but now, here, they are trying to win his acceptance through their human efforts.  He also lets them know how ridiculous this is. They had started full of the Spirit but later became disillusioned and “bewitched” by false teachings and the magicians who worked through the power of Satan.  They began prioritizing the Jewish laws rather than focusing on the Spirit’s work in their lives.  This is yet another example of thinking we have to work our way to salvation. 

Paul is in the faces of the Galatians, shaking them by the shoulders to remind them that their faith comes from believing, not working.  Just like the Galatians, we too often become so focused on checking off the boxes that we leave little room for the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.  We simply have to believe in God through faith and live by the Spirit, and the other things - the “works”- will come as a natural result of our faith rather than a means to our faith.  This is what we refer to as the fruit of the Spirit. 

If our faith is based on works, we will become overwhelmed and anxiety-ridden trying to do everything perfectly in our efforts to earn God’s favor.  We will burn out by the weight of relying on ourselves which can lead us into a downward spiral away from God as we have squeezed Him out of our lives in our effort to earn His approval.  Often, when we get into this place of not being able to find God because we have relied on ourselves for too long, it is hard to come back to Him.  It is easy to let the things of this world pull us further down rather than pulling up our bootstraps and letting God help us climb out of the pit.  

When you feel overwhelmed in your walk with Christ, step back and take a look to see if you are relying on yourself or on His Spirit to guide you through life. I bet you’ll find that you’ve been working overtime, while God is just waiting for you to let Him take the reins. He isn’t looking for our self-reliant striving. He desires our Spirit-focused surrender.  

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflections: 

• Do you ever feel the need to check off a list to earn God’s favor?  Or are you able to rest in the gift of His grace? 
  
• How can you stop striving for God’s approval by doing more, and instead live life through His Spirit?
• Prayer: Dear Lord, I come to You today and surrender what I have been holding onto for too long. I want to trust in Your grace and rely on You instead of myself. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that guides me today. In Jesus' name, Amen.