Am I rejoicing in the salvation that God accomplished for me in Jesus, which he freely offers me by sheer grace, and which I receive by faith alone? Or am I using Jesus in an attempt to work my own salvation?
I use Jesus to work my own salvation when my functional saviour becomes my achievement, and I pray for God to bless my efforts.
I use Jesus to work my own salvation when my functional saviour becomes my appetite and I pray for God to ‘meet my needs.’
I use Jesus to work my own salvation when my functional saviour becomes the approval of others and I pray for God to give me favour.
Of course I have Biblical reasons to ask God to bless my efforts, meet my needs, and give me favour.
It comes down to the motivations of my heart.
Do I need these prayers answered in the way expect in order to feel loved, valued and accepted by the Lord?
Or can I look to the cross to remember Jesus’ love value and acceptance of me?
When I find these deepest needs of my heart met at the cross, I receive salvation as God’s work for me, rather than trying to achieve salvation by my work for him.