At the beginning of January, with all good intentions, I started a series that was to appear on this blog every Thursday… Toward Him 2012. The series started strong… God was working in my heart and allowing me to share. Then like most New Year’s Resolutions, it fizzled out after a few weeks. Failure.
Just this week, I’ve forgotten to make phone calls or send emails, avoided difficult situations, let friends down, focused on myself way too much, yelled at my kids (and my husband), and I have spent way too little time with God. More failure.
So here’s my disclaimer: I’m not perfect. Just a perfectionist whose biggest stronghold is that she gives up when she can’t get it quite right.
But too many times, I’ve used “I’m not perfect” as kind of a cop-out. As a defense mechanism to try to avoid thinking about (and doing something about) my own shortcomings and failures. And yet again perfectly timed, our pastor’s message today reminded me that the reason I stay miserable in my own missing-the-mark world is because I still have not accepted this fact…
I cannot do it in my own strength. Period.
I’m going to disappoint you. I may forget to call you… or I may get my calendar dates mixed up. I may break a promise. I will probably prove to be different than what your first impression was of me. I’m not perfect… in fact, I’m far from it.
But my God is perfect. He is the perfect One. Jesus. The One who came down to earth, wholly God yet wholly man, and died for you and for me. He lived perfect, died perfect, and came back to life perfect… so that we don’t have to live up to that expectation.
2 Corinthians 4:7 says: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
See I truly don’t want you to think I can get it right on my own. The power belongs to God alone. And when you look at me, I hope you see through the flesh… and see an example of imperfection that is being perfected by One. Jesus.
I guess each of us should own this as our disclaimer. We’re not perfect. But He is.
Thank God for grace, Paula. We all need it everyday! If we look at people through Jesus’ eyes, we’ll see them as God created them to be. You are a blessing to so many because you let Him work through you…imperfections and all!
Blessings,
~Erin
Thanks for your encouragement, as always, Erin! 🙂
Oh Paula, you may not be perfect my friend, but God used perfect words from you to minister to my heart today. I have been feeling so torn up inside about trying to do it all and realizing I just can’t. I hate letting others down, but have to accept the fact that I’m not perfect. I’m not super woman with the ability to do it all and do it all well. I fail regularly. Thank you for confirming God’s message to my heart – one He placed on it last week, and I’ve been fighting.
Many blessings to you my friend,
~Rosann
Thank you, Rosann. Your words are so encouraging to me. Thanks for reminding me that God is calling me to do this… So thankful for God’s message to your heart today, friend!
Amen!
When I had my first born, I thought I would be the “perfect” mother per say. I didn’t actually THINK this, but somehow I think deep down I thought I KNEW how to be the perfect mother. Soon I learned how hard this being a mommy was and I began to fail time and time again. Realizing one thing, I was trying to be a mommy with my own strength, assuming I knew it all. I failed to lean on the One who know how to raise my boys better then me. Joy has overflowed since I gave up, and just let Him take over. 🙂
I love that… “joy has overflowed since I gave up”. It’s so hard to give up, but we know that when we do, He takes over and does it much better thn we can. My failures have in the past caused me to go into depression. That woe is me feeling when we’re no good for anyone… God, our husbands, our kids, or ourselves. I’m so thankful to have Jesus to turn to. I don’t know how people go through life without Him.
It’s a great idea to work towards a closer relationship with GOD. I too am on my journey.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Dominique!
Thanks for the reminder! Sometimes we just try to do it all!
Warmest regards,
Joy
http://www.PardonMyPoppet.com
So true, Joy, so true!
I love how you emphasize that one is perfect in this world but only Jesus who died for all. He was the perfect one. It’s sad to hear people trying to be someone else when God created us all in very unique ways. Not to copy each other but to master our gifts giving by God.
Love your message. And thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you, Barbara! So glad you stopped by! 🙂
AMEN!!! I’m not perfect either. And I don’t claim to be! Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place if we just extended a bit more grace?
AMEN!!!!!! I struggle with giving grace, as well. Guess it’s my perfectionist nature… But it’s one of those things that God continues to wrestle me about. 🙂
I just try to be the most perfect me that I can. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂
Paula… you have left me speechless.. even for me that’s saying a lot. I am beside myself because just earlier I was thinking the same of myself. This is really eerie. Needless to say, I could not agree with you more.
Thanks Carla… I struggle with this a lot. I am a people pleaser by nature, so it’s hard when I feel like I’ve let someone down. But I’ve got to remember it’s not about pleasing them, it’s about living for Jesus.
Grace given to ourselves is sometimes the hardest…
You are such a blessing to so many and your testimony struck a chord with me. It isn’t terribly different from mine, other than I had “outer” influences as well as “inner” that steered my life. Thank you for all that you do.
Lisa, thanks so much for your encouragement! I struggle with this so terribly… and it’s hard for me to even face the fact that I’m going to mess up sometimes. But God is good… and He is creating in me a greater work for His glory. So may my imperfections be used to compliment His perfection.