It's Not All Up to Us... Thankfully

I played tennis growing up, like almost every day for years. From an early age, I was winning far more than I lost. I think it was because I liked hitting the ball far more than anyone else. I’d hit serves alone before school, play with others after school, and breakout the ball machine when everyone else went home. I collected trophies like my friends collected Hot Wheels.

My wins and losses were up to me. If I ever got behind in a match, I would switch my mindset from playing my strengths to learning the strengths and weaknesses of my opponent. If I couldn’t apply those lessons to win the match, I would be sure to be prepared the next time we played. I seldom lost to anyone twice. I felt personally responsible for every win and every loss. Coaches, teammates, friends, nor family shared any responsibility. It fell on me… and I loved it.

Sadly, a lot of people play Christianity the way I played tennis… as if it were all up to them. Somehow, they’ve misinterpreted personal response for personal responsibility. They live as though God were a spectator in the stands waiting to award a trophy, and it’s all up to them.

There’s something comfortable about it being up to us. It seems noble, worthwhile. But it’s not. Earning grace is a fruitless pursuit. The Christian life is one of trusting God and expressing gratitude for what God has done, is doing, and promises to do. In the realm of spiritual growth, it is God rather than us who is doing the work.

Instead of celebrating the Resurrection by promising to do more, why not commit to spending time alone with God thanking him for his love and grace? He won’t love you anymore than he already does. Yet, what continually grabs his attention and engages his activity in one’s life is not our effort, but our trust and gratitude.