Salvation and grace
Ephesians 2:8-9
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast."— Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV
Reflection
The gospel is allergic to performance. Every other religion in the world says: do these things and the divine will accept you. Christianity says: you've been accepted; now do these things in response. Reverse the order and you have legalism. Skip the response and you have cheap grace. Grace through faith — not from yourselves — kills both. You can stop trying to earn what's already given. You can also stop boasting about it, because it wasn't yours to begin with.
Prayer
Father, thank you for what I cannot earn. Help me stop trying.