by Paul David Tripp
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
2 Corinthians 5:14–15

I am my greatest relational problem—me. And your biggest problem is you. Now, don’t misunderstand me. I know you’ll be sinned against; I know people suffer abuse of all kinds; but my greatest and deepest difficulty in relationships actually exists inside of me and not outside of me. That’s why Paul offered the cure when he said Jesus came to rescue you from you.
Grace alone changes the whole relational paradigm, our whole lifestyle of inward-bentness. Grace liberates you from you, so you can actually have a thing that could be described as a relationship.
Grace frees you from three things. First, grace frees you from your bondage to self-righteousness. You see, if your hope and security in life are placed in the basket of your righteousness, it is hard to maintain a relationship. It’s hard to live with you, because you cannot be wrong. But God gives you, in His Son, a righteousness that’s not your own. And once you get that it’s not about you but about Christ, and once you know that as you stand as righteous before God you are free to own up to being a bit of a mess, you don’t have to be so defensive about everything or get your own way.
Second, embracing Christ’s righteousness as your own gives you freedom from needing to be in control. Jesus said this: “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). It’s not you trying to construct a kingdom of your own and placing your hope in it. You’ve already got more than you could ever want in God’s kingdom, so your arguing and your angling can be put to rest.
Third, Christ’s righteousness frees you from bondage to unrealistic expectations. You stop seeking horizontally what is only supplied vertically; you stop asking the people in your life to be your own personal messiahs, who will make you feel good about yourself, give you meaning and purpose, make you happy.
Grace says we’ve already been given everything we need for life and godliness. It’s all ours in Christ.

Thought to Remember for Today

The beautiful truth of the righteousness that has been imputed to us by Christ is the only truth powerful enough to free us from all our selfishness and our desire to be made much of. This glorious reality is for you today. You can live in the light of all Jesus has done to free you from yourself.

Fitzpatrick, E. (2016). Grace untamed: a 60-day devotional. Colorado Springs, CO: David C Cook.