Grace, Not Grades: Why God's Love Isn’t Earned
Learning to Let Go of Performance-Based Faith and Rest in God’s Mercy
There’s a quiet voice in the back of my mind that often whispers, “You’re not doing enough.” Maybe you’ve heard it too. It shows up when I’m rushing out the door for work and realize I forgot to pray. Or when I see someone doing “more” for the Church or their community and I feel like I’m falling short.
This week, Pope Francis reminded us of something that stopped me in my tracks. In his Wednesday catechesis, he said, “Eternal life is not gained through merit. It is not bought. It is not acquired with our abilities. It is received with a heart open to God and others.”
Let that sink in.
We don’t earn heaven.
We receive it.
That hits home for someone like me who grew up measuring success by checklists, grades, work ethic, and "doing the right thing." Even in my faith life, I’ve sometimes tried to treat God like a boss I need to impress rather than a Father who loves me.
But Jesus never told the rich young ruler, “Just try harder.” He invited him into relationship—into surrender. The Pope’s message reminds us that our efforts are good, but they’re not what saves us. Grace does.
Personal Reflection
I’ve been on a journey over the past few years to understand the difference between striving and surrender. As a husband, father, and Catholic man trying to live out his faith in a noisy, performance-driven world, I constantly feel the pressure to do more—to be enough for everyone around me.
But in those quiet moments of prayer, I sense God saying, “Be still. You’re already mine.”
When I get that right—when I remember that I’m a beloved child of God, not an employee earning spiritual wages—everything changes. I don’t serve out of fear. I serve out of love. I don’t pray to check a box. I pray to be with the One who knows me best.
Application: Living from Grace, Not Guilt
Here are a few things I’m doing this week to embrace this truth:
Start my day with identity, not obligation.
Before I grab my to-do list, I’m reminding myself: I am a child of God. I am loved. That’s enough.Serve with joy, not pressure.
Whether I’m helping at church or showing up for my kids, I’m asking myself: Am I doing this out of love or out of fear?Let prayer be a place of rest, not performance.
I’m not trying to impress God with the perfect words. I’m just showing up with my heart.Extend grace to others.
If God doesn’t keep score with me, why do I do it with others?
Final Thoughts
You’re not a spiritual project God is disappointed in.
You’re a son. You’re a daughter. You’re loved.
Let’s stop trying to earn what Jesus already gave.
Grace changes everything.