If you’re anything like me, you look out at the fairway and see how far you have to go, then look down at that little tiny ball in front of you, and everything in you wants to swing as hard as you can to whack that thing as far as possible.
I was golfing with a friend once, and there I was again, cranking on that club, just about swinging right out of my shoes, when he stopped me and gave me some advice. “Relax! Don’t try so hard. Let the club do the work!” He showed me how to take a nice, easy swing, and let the weight of the club hit the ball just right.
At first, I thought he was crazy, but after watching him smash the ball around the course with hardly any effort, I started to realize he might know what he was talking about.
Then I tried it. Wow! What a difference. It was difficult at first not to swing so hard, but after I saw the results, it changed my game completely.
The same thing happened to me when I got saved. I used to try so hard to keep all the commandments and be good enough to go to heaven on my own. But I never seemed to be very good at it. In fact, my performance was quite pathetic.
Then someone told me to stop trying so hard and trust in Jesus. Rest in His perfect sacrifice at the cross. Let Him do all the work!
At first, I thought that was crazy advice. How can I just let go and trust what someone else has done for me?
But I saw how much peace and joy those who had done so seemed to always possess. So I did it. I let go of all of the things I was holding onto and committed my life to Christ. I forsook all trust I had in any other place and decided to trust in Him alone, and as soon as I did that, it was like a veil was lifted. God revealed Himself and His love to me.
I once was blind, but now I could see. All of the sudden the puzzling things I had been reading in the Bible began to make sense. On that day, I knew that the gospel was true, and that I was saved.
Jesus said in John 7:17, “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” Incredible! That sounds like a challenge to you and to me to test Him and see if what He says is true or not. Jesus tells us to go ahead obey the gospel, and you will know whether it holds water or not. “The proof is in the pudding,” as they say.
He says again in John 14:21, “He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” Wow! That’s a big promise. Jesus says He will reveal Himself to you.
Are you trying to appease God by doing all sorts of good works? Are you putting loads of effort into getting Gods attention?
God has already provided a sacrifice that is sufficient to cover all of your sins. He’s already made one perfect way for you to be saved. But you won’t enjoy the rest he offers until you cease from your own efforts and trust in His.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30
Stop trying so hard to earn your spot in heaven. Jesus has done all the work. Trust Him today. It will change your life completely!