the letter icon Our focus can ruin our Christian experience.  Paul wrote, …by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does…  There it is, our focus.  When we focus on “what we do” vs. focus on “what God does” changes everything.

Let’s keep reading what Romans says.   Romans 3:26-31

26 This is not only clear, but it’s now – this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness. 27 So where does that leave our proud Jewish insider claims and counterclaims? Canceled? Yes, canceled.

What we’ve learned is this: God does not respond to what we do; we respond to what God does. 28 We’ve finally figured it out. Our lives get in step with God and all others by letting him set the pace, not by proudly or anxiously trying to run the parade.

29 And where does that leave our proud Jewish claim of having a corner on God? Also canceled. God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews. 30 How could it be otherwise since there is only one God? God sets right all who welcome his action and enter into it, both those who follow our religious system and those who have never heard of our religion. 31 But by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does, don’t we cancel out all our careful keeping of the rules and ways God commanded? Not at all. What happens, in fact, is that by putting that entire way of life in its proper place, we confirm it. MSG

Did you see that part, …by shifting our focus from what we do to what God does… ? That’s the difference between Christianity being a huge disappointment and Christianity being a complete life change. It’s the difference between struggling to live out a set of rules verse experiencing the freedom in God’s grace. What you focus on will determine how you live.

Sam explained what it looks like to focus on “what we do”. I want wealth so I go to church and do a few good things to get God to like me enough to give me wealth. I want health so I go to church and do a few good things to get God to like me enough to give me health. I want a happy marriage so I go to church and do a few good things to get God to like me enough to give me a happy marriage. I want good kids so I go to church and do a few good things to get God to like me enough to give me good kids.

Do you see what I am talking about? That way of living is focusing on “what we do.” I will do a few good things to manipulate God, or a nicer way to say it is, to get God to do what I want. If this is your Christianity, it will be an epic fail. Here is why. You treat God like an idol. And, the next time you don’t get what you want, you realize you are not in control and you will think you did all the right things and God let you down. You might even decide to become bitter or angry at God because you did your part and He failed at doing His part. Do you see it? “I did my part.” That’s us focusing on “what we do.” God is not an idol.

God’s offer is so much bigger. He tell us to make the shift. Shift into focusing on “what God does.” It changes everything. So what in the world does that mean and what difference does it make?

What did God do? I want to read for you something that might blow your mind.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV 2 Corinthians 5:21

That means, God sent Jesus to pull out every sin, every hurt, every wound, ever insecurity and fear you have, and place it on Jesus. And in exchange, God pulls out all the righteousness of Jesus and places it on you. We call it the unfair exchange because it is unfair to Jesus.

Do you realize what this means? You can trust God. You can give Him your life. And every day from today, you can walk with God.

Let’s be clear, you will walk through good times and bad times. Life will bring you joy and tears. Life will hurt you and at times be unfair. Regardless, you can trust God and give Him your life.

That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. MSG Romans 8:28

What happens when we focus on what God has done? When we focus on that fact, all our sin and wounds died the day Jesus died. And, all the righteousness of Jesus now lives in us.

Here are seven practical implications.

1. You’re free from your ego that demands that you have bigger, better, more and new because all that junk died the day Jesus died. You don’t have to keep up with everyone. You can be free from that way of living. Maybe for the first time you can be content. Why? When we focus on what God did, we know we can trust Him today.

If you focus on what you do and not on what God does, you have to look better to others so you have pursue bigger, better more.

2.You’re free from your hurts that control you. You don’t need revenge anymore because all that junk died the day Jesus died. Maybe for the first time you can forgive and destroy the anger and bitterness that has built up in your heart. Why? When we focus on what God did, we know we can trust Him today.

If you focus on what you do, you have to get revenge to make everything is fair.

3. You’re free now from your insecurities. You don’t have to one up others all the time. You don’t have to win to be happy. You don’t have to prove that everyone is are wrong. You don’t have to rank people anymore. Why? Because all that junk died the day Jesus died. Demanding what is fair doesn’t control me anymore. Why? When we focus on what God did, we know we can trust Him today.

If you focus on what you do, you will swim in your insecurities. You will joke with others to put others down. You will fake who you know and what you have accomplished.

4. You’re free from fear.   Your fear of tomorrow doesn’t have to steal your joy of today. Why? Because a life of fear died the day Jesus died. When we focus on what God did, we know we can trust Him today.

If you focus on what you do, you will live in fear everyday worried about every wrong thing that could go wrong for the next 50 years.

5. You’re free to love. People hurting you or not meeting your expectations doesn’t stop you from loving them. Why? Because your expectations of others died the day Jesus died. When we focus on what God did, we know we can trust Him today.

6. Ladies, you’re free from the anxiety and stress you have to always be in control. God is in control and you can follow Him and trust Him.

7. Guys, your free do from being a passive man who has given up or the angry man who demands his way.

Can you imagine the freedom that comes from focusing on what God does?

The invitation from God isn’t about us focusing on “what we do”, it’s bigger. It’s about making the shift.   To begin focusing on “what God does.”

God sent Jesus to pull out every sin, every hurt, every wound you have, and placed it on Jesus. And in exchange, God pulls out all the righteousness of Jesus and places it on you. We call it the unfair exchange because it is unfair to Jesus.

So what is Christianity to you? Is it trying to leverage “what you do” against God to get Him to do His part? That story is an epic fail. Or is it focusing on “what God does” and always allowing that story to refresh your soul?