For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. (NLT)

I am really hard on myself. I try hard to anticipate the expectations that will be placed on me and over-deliver on them whenever possible. It is challenging to try to stay ahead of the game at every turn, but it is just the way I have always been…in every part of my life. It has influenced my path in high school, college, the Army, grad school, and then in corporate America. I am sure that it bleeds over into my spiritual life and my relationships with family and friends. This is not a great approach to life. It is something I have been trying to get my arms around and working on moving away from.

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Is this true of you, too? We all know what it feels like to try really hard to measure up—to reach some standard, to earn someone’s approval, or to prove we’re “enough.” Whether it’s a parent’s expectations, a job review, or even religious performance, that pressure can be crushing. The people Paul writes about in Romans 10 were experiencing that exact weight. They believed that keeping the law was the way to get right with God. If they obeyed all the commands—no matter how exhausting—they’d earn God’s approval.

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But Paul brings incredible news: Jesus has already done what we never could.

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The law was never meant to be a ladder we climb to reach God. It was a mirror—to show us our need for Him. The law reveals how far off course we really are. And here’s the beauty of Romans 10:4: Jesus didn’t just help us obey the law better—He fulfilled it. He did it perfectly, without flaw, and then gave us the credit if we would simply trust Him.

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That’s what it means to be made “right with God”—not by proving yourself, but by placing yourself in Christ. That kind of righteousness isn’t earned—it’s given. That’s grace.

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This is why the gospel is such good news for everyone—whether you’ve grown up in church or are hearing this for the first time. If you’ve been exhausted trying to keep all the spiritual rules, Christ invites you to rest in His finished work. If you’ve been far from God, unsure whether you could ever be good enough, He says: “You’re welcome here—just come and believe.”

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God’s family isn’t built on moral perfection but on faith in Jesus. He’s not looking for your resume; He’s offering you His righteousness. All the striving, all the shame, all the fear of not being enough—Jesus took it all to the cross.

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That’s how Christ brings us righteousness. Not by demanding more from us, but by offering Himself for us.

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So the invitation today is simple but life-changing: Stop trying to earn what God already wants to give you. Jesus has already done the work—just believe. This really challenges my natural tendencies but is an amazing revelation.

Here are some questions to think about as you look at this verse and the rest of Romans 10:

• Have you ever felt like you needed to “prove yourself” to God? What did that feel like, and where do you think that mindset came from?

• If you’re already a believer, how might this verse encourage you to share the message of Jesus with others who feel unworthy, burdened, or driven to achieve?

• If you’re not yet a Christian, what do you think is standing in the way of receiving this gift of righteousness through Jesus?

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I find these questions and others like them help me avoid getting into the rut of trying to earn God’s love through my actions. If you haven’t asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life and invited His Spirit to dwell in you, I encourage you to consider making the leap through confession, repentance, and accepting God’s grace and forgiveness. By accepting His gift, we break the cycle of trying to earn the prize we can never achieve and accept the gift we could never deserve on our own merit.

Jesus, thank You for doing what I never could. You lived a perfect life, fulfilled the law, and then gave Your righteousness to me as a gift. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to earn what You already finished. Help me to rest in Your grace instead of striving in my strength. I believe that You are enough—for my past, my present, and my future. Draw me close to You and help me walk each day trusting in what You’ve already accomplished. Thank You for inviting me into Your family. Amen.