I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
Striving for a sense of self-worth through your own personal performance will create more unhappiness in you than you ever dreamed possible. Why? Because you will face disappointment in yourself when you don’t perform well, discontentment when others don’t applaud your performance, and depression when you don’t get to perform at all. The good news is that’s not where your value comes from at all. You have incalculable worth based on what God did, not on what you do. You are so treasured by God that even when you were at your absolute worst (separated from Him in your sinfulness), He loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. This is the jaw-dropping reality of just how much you are worth. Don’t you see? Jesus gave Himself for you. Your worth is not based on your performance; it is based on His. He loves you. Your worth is not based on who you are; it is based on Whose you are. He lives in you. Your worth is not based on your making a name for yourself; it is based on the Name of the One who lives inside you. If you belong to Jesus, the old you is dead, and the life you now live carries a value that does not come from any personal achievement, accolade or attribute. You are priceless because of God’s unrelenting love for you in Christ. He doesn’t love you because you’re beautiful, witty, popular, fit, wealthy, fast, intelligent, kind, influential or talented; He loves you because you’re His. Secure in this, you can give your best effort to be the person you were made to be and do the things you were made to do, knowing that you don’t do any of it to prove your worth. Jesus already did that.
