Today’s Scripture: Romans 4:1-12
4Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.
There are many ways to achieve success in life. You can be born into it like a king. You can have a good family life, become successful in business, or discover great things academically. All of these things can create a sense of well-being and self worth.
One of my favorite things about Christianity is that it is open to all. There is no need for a special line of descent; no need to be a great warrior, scholar, or entrepreneur; and there is especially no need to be perfect. All that is needed is faith in God. Salvation is granted to us before we accomplish any great works, and it stays with us through all of our sins simply through our faith in Christ.
Having faith in him is more than just saying you believe, however. It also has to do with getting to know him through prayer and study, and following what we believe he wants us to do. Discerning the difference between what he wants and what we think we want can be very difficult. But in the end, if we can get them aligned, we will be on our way to a better place.