God's Righteousness

Psalm 71:19-21

Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.

Greetings My Beloved,

I hope you are having a wonderful week. Mine has been interesting to say the least. I got a traffic ticket yesterday, and it really took me to a dark place. It has been quite a long time since I received a traffic ticket, and it took me down this slippery slope of dark thoughts. I felt so wretched. Have you ever felt that way. It was quite a humbling experience, recognizing that I am not perfect. Every once in a while I need a reality check. I get on this path striving so hard to be good, that I often times fall into the trap of thinking how good I am. Don't get me wrong, it is important to have self confidence, but there is a difference between self righteousness and God's righteousness. The first is when we think we are so great on our own. Then we go into this thought process thinking we are better than others. It brings this comparison thing to a whole new level, where we ultimately begin to judge others. Every once in a while God has to give me a humbling experience to recognize that He is God, and I am not - that my righteousness alone are like filthy rags:

Isaiah 64:6

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Does that mean we should continue down the spiral of self condemnation, only to find ourselves so unworthy that we get the attitude that if we are bad anyways, we should just be bad. God wants for us to strive for righteousness, just His righteousness rather than our own.  

Philippians 3:7-11

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Once we recognize this righteousness, there is such freedom. Knowing that regardless of our situations, regardless of our trials or circumstances, that God is righteous - His righteousness reaches to the Heavens. He is King over the earth, so while we may face the justices without mercy within this world, know that God is a righteous judge, full of mercy. That He understands our troubles, and can restore our lives, raising up our honor while comforting us. Isn't that encouraging! Knowing that regardless of how bleak our situation may be. God's righteousness surpasses that, and He is able to restore our life.

 

Blessings,

Christina