Many of us wake up feeling as though our relationship with God depends entirely on how well we perform each day. If we pray long enough, skip lunch to fast, or do everything right, we imagine God smiles on us; if we stumble, we fear His favor has vanished. In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul cuts straight through this exhausting cycle. He reminds Titus that when the kindness and love of God appeared, our rescue was initiated entirely by Him. We did not initiate our salvation, nor did we negotiate the terms.
In Kampala today, it is common to hear faith spoken of like a business transaction. Some voices tell us that if we sow a specific monetary seed, purchase an anointed bottle of water, or endure extreme fasts to change a difficult situation, God will finally be compelled to move in our direction. Without realizing it, these practices subtly preach that Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was not sufficient. They insinuate that we must add our own money, suffering, or rituals to finish what Christ already accomplished.
Yet Paul explicitly states that God delivered us "not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy". Notice that even our best deeds cannot purchase our standing before the Father. As Paul explains in Ephesians 2:8-9, salvation is a gift received by faith, not something produced by our labor. True spiritual renewal is poured out richly through the Holy Spirit because of Jesus Christ, not our sweat.
Knowing that we are "justified by his grace", we are free to lay down the exhausting burden of trying to impress God. We do not fast or give to manipulate His hand or secure His affection. Instead, because we are already His heirs, we live, create, and serve out of deep gratitude for what He has already done.