Stop Striving to be Righteous

I bless you today

To revel in the
“Righteousness of God

Manifested apart from the law.” (Romans 3:22)

What joy it is to discover

The righteousness that

Comes not by keeping the law

But by seeing how woeful

And wearisome a task it is

To work to merit right standing with God.

Oh, the righteousness that comes

Not by moralism or manipulation

But comes fully, freely, finally

Through the gift of Christ’s own perfection.

May you cease all striving

To be righteous,

Child of God,

And rejoice anew

That God made you righteous

Through His own saving gift.

What once for you was all wrong,

Has, in Jesus,

Been made all right.