Growing up in a Christian home, I always believed in Jesus. What I did not understand was how to be right with him.

As a child, I watched a video about people who claimed to have gone to heaven and returned. What caught my attention was not heaven but hell. The descriptions terrified me. I became convinced that many of the things I enjoyed would send me there. I knew I needed to be saved.

One of the ways presented in the video was repeatedly singing a particular worship song. It sounded simple enough for a child, so I held on to it with all my heart. You could find me singing that same song over and over again while carefully keeping count of how many times I had sung it.

You guessed right! I was trying to earn God’s mercy and somehow escape hell.

Years later, I realized it was not working. Then came a communion service in my local church. The pastor taught that those who partook were righteous before God. I eagerly participated, convinced that this was finally it. For about two weeks, I felt righteous.

Then I lied again.

Then I sinned again. And just like that, I was back where I started: seeking ways to be looked upon by God with mercy.

For years, asking for forgiveness was the first thing I did whenever I prayed. I genuinely loved God, but I never felt right with him.

Everything changed when I got to the university.

One Thursday, during a church service, I was asked a simple question:

“Are you righteous?”

Internally, I laughed.

Righteousness was the very thing I had spent years chasing without success.

Immediately, verses I had heard all my life came to mind: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and “Our righteousness is like filthy rags.”

Then I was shown something I had never truly seen before:

That is what Romans 10:10 TPT said, and I was utterly stunned. “Could it really be that simple?” I thought.

“Was God saying that righteousness and mercy were not things I achieved but received?”

I began studying Romans, Ephesians, and other New Testament books. Again and again, I saw the same truth: Through Christ, he had already declared me righteous.

At first, it felt too good to be true. Surely there had to be something I could do to earn it.

But that is exactly the point of mercy.

Whether your resume looks terrible or impressive, it does not qualify you before God. What does is your belief. John 3:16 TPT says; For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life

If you are like me, then the next scriptures and lines in this blog should be held dear and close to your heart.

Romans 9:16 says, “So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on him.]” (AMPC)

That means righteousness is not a reward for the ‘deserving’; it is a gift received by faith.

Quit focusing on your resume or trying to build a stellar record; instead, start believing, start trusting and start accepting the help.

In Romans 8:31-37, we see that God already freely gave us his son and has indeed given us everything else needed for life and godliness. Much more, he does not condemn us and has loved us with an everlasting love.

Do you then see that God is not looking for a perfect resume? In him, you have all the mercy, righteousness and help to gain a surpassing victory! So, heed the invitation of Hebrews 4:16:

Stop striving to earn what Christ has already provided.

God is not looking at your resume.

He is inviting you to receive his mercy and righteousness.