Romans 3:21-22
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (NLT)

Have you ever known someone who was really great at guilt-tripping people? In my life, I’ve known a lot of people either professionally or personally who can throw guilt around to the point that whole rooms of people are struck with sympathy for how terribly the person on the other end has been treated, or how much work they’ asked to do.

Sometimes, I become my own harshest critic in my mind and create guilt that alters my appreciation of the grace extended in Romans 3. I find myself hyper-critical of not only my mistakes but even the slightest missteps. This often leads me to a point where, upon reading scriptures like Romans 3:21-31 or contemplating ideas about grace, I fall into the trap of thinking, “That's really awesome for everyone else, but I’m just too messed up.” I tend to cherry-pick the negatives because they resonate with my self-criticism, and in doing so, I often overlook the incredible, undeserved grace that is freely offered to all.

God’s grace through Jesus is just that, though—freely offered to the undeserving, no matter who we are, as long as we believe. So, as we navigate a week talking about the good and the bad and how those things intersect with God’s just nature, I thought it’d be helpful for us to start by refocusing on where grace comes from and how it is realized. God’s justice doesn’t need us individually casting judgment on our actions. The opposite is true: God’s grace is a blessing that we can step into fully and freely, if we choose to do so.

Monday’s Reflection

Are you struggling with guilt, or finding it hard to accept that grace is for you? You’re not alone! David wrote many psalms from a place of anguish—reflect on Psalm 31:7-8 for a reminder.