You know that Jesus died to pay for your sin, right? That’s kindof old news today. Yeah, yeah yeah, we’ve heard it a thousand times and it likely stopped giving you the warm fuzzies a long time ago. It’s still a big deal – the biggest deal to ever happen for us – it changed everything forever.

But today, I want to remind you Jesus traded it ALL on the cross for you. Everything you will ever struggle with, everything you’ve ever battled, it was all considered and all traded on the cross. It’s a done deal.

2 Corinthians 8:9 – “You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.”

Jesus in all of his glory took on shame so that you and I who should have shame can instead have glory. You don’t have to spend one moment of your life feeling unworthy. Jesus traded that for you on the cross. Your worth has been proven. A high price has been paid. You, dear daughter of the most high, you are of extreme value … indeed priceless. Not because of what you have done, but because of what has been done for you.

That truth does 2 things for us. One, it gives us extreme confidence. It’s like knowing the rock in your ring is the real deal, it’s a pure and genuine diamond so you wear it with more pride. When you know you’re the real deal, chosen, selected, set apart and PAID for at a premium price, you take more pride in your life. Our confidence comes through Christ Jesus.

On the cross he traded your self-doubt for your true identity. Have you taken the trade?

Do you have that confidence in your identity? Did you wake up this morning remembering what has been done for you? Did you look in the mirror and see yourself as a CHOSEN one worthy of good and beautiful things? If you didn’t, my sister the enemy has been playing in your head. Don’t let him lessen what was traded for you on the cross.

Now here’s the second thing this truth does for us – it not only gives us extreme confidence, but it changes the way we see others.

That person may be acting like a total jackwagon, their head may be squarely planted up their arse, but if Jesus can offer them grace and still die on the cross for them, I’m pretty sure we can offer them some grace and bite our tongue when they show up in their jerk pants. I’m pretty sure we can smile and just be kind. I’m pretty sure we can focus on what is good about them because Jesus did all the hard work of trading what might be bad about them.

Isn’t that great news … you don’t have to try and change anyone today. That’s not your job. Let Jesus work on them. You just be nice.

Whatever you’re struggling with today has already been traded on the cross. What is it – laziness, bitterness, anger, jealousy, an affair, a lie, a dirty little secret, or a bad habit you just can’t seem to kick … well my friend, Jesus had it in mind, he knew about it all and he included it on the cross. It was traded on the cross.

Take responsibility for your actions and behaviors – so you’ve screwed up and made a real mess of things. You may have a price to pay in a relationship to fix, 60 pounds to lose, or cigarettes to put down AGAIN, but you don’t have to do it alone. A way has been made. The shame has been carried. It was traded on the cross.

Whoever you’re struggling with today, know that Jesus is working on them. You can partner with him in his life changing work with your love far more than you ever could with your criticism.

You can walk in your truth of freedom – Free to be exactly who you were created to be. The best version of you. You can start living like that today. God has already chosen you, paid the price for you, redeemed you and said it was a done deal.

There on that cross everything concerning you was considered and traded. Everything. It is done. The deal has been sealed. Move forward in confidence.