In "Other" Words…

Perfection.

There are people who “look” like they have it all together. Nice family, nice house, good job, Mom stays at home, you know the kind of people I am talking about. The families who always seem to have things go their way, even more than once. I am old enough to know now, there is no such thing.

Outward appearances can be deceiving. We are deceived by the lives celebrities live, parts of their lives look so glamorous; it is hard to not desire the life they live. They don’t have to worry about the electric bill that is coming due; they did not just purchase their outfit at a sales store, because that is all they could afford for the dinner out next week. Oh, to live that life, how easy it seems.

Let me hit closer to home. We are trying to sell our house; we are trying to only go where our budget will take us. We have gone down the wrong path before, meaning we did not follow God’s plan for our finances. Now, due to God’s grace and mercy, we have the opportunity to go down the right path. I know God is going to bless us. But in the mean time temptation comes. This temptation is sneaky (just like the father of lies is). A seed is planted that “so and so is thinking of getting a bigger house” even though they already live in a nice size house. Or “look what they can afford”, and you are left there wondering how can they do that when we are in the same boat if not doing a bit better. The temptation does not suddenly hit you, it seeps in while looking at house plans, or while chatting with a friend, or while dreaming with your husband. You find yourself saying comments like, “I have to have this, or granite counter tops are a must in my next home, or my house needs to be large enough so each of us has our own space.”

Need…..such a relative term. And even more so, is when people say “Oh you deserve this, you deserve the big house, the really nice things, you have paid your dues, etc…” I cringe at those comments, I don’t deserve anything. But God loves to bless me (and you). In the situation we are in now, I know a blessing is coming, BUT who am I to say what I “need.” Doesn’t God already know? Doesn’t every blessing that comes your way just blow your socks off? How many times has God blessed you and you step back and say, “Oh Father forgive me, I didn’t know.” Oh friends, I am still learning this. I am still learning how to step back and let God be God.

Do you find these temptations in your life? I find that as soon as I try to put on the “air” that we have it all together and putting stipulations on blessings I know is coming our way, one of my sons in a very public manner shows everyone in God’s green earth that we do not have it all together. We mess up. Mess up as parents, mess up as kids, and mess up as Christians.

Perfection = Pride

Trying to appear you have everything together, or that you “need” something more, can be a form of pride.

This is why I loved this quote so much. God does not expect me to be perfect, I unfortunately do fall for some of the lies the father of lies feeds me, I do fail my kids as a mother at times, I do fail my husband as a wife, and more importantly I do fail my Heavenly Father. The Father already knows my weaknesses, he expects me to mess up. He knows the road is going to be filled with twists, turns, ups and downs, but when we finally arrive it will be so worth it. And we will scream, “Wow WHAT A RIDE THAT WAS!”

God never said we had to strive for perfection; we strive to accept that we are forgiven and God will use our weakness to bring him glory (why do you think he says, in your weakness I am strong?). I think it is funny, the ones who mess up the most and then find their way back are the people who God uses in a mighty way to direct others to Him (David, Saul, Peter, Martha, oh I could go on and on).

Imperfection leads to forgiveness
Forgiveness leads to praise
Praise leads to pleasing God
Pleasing God leads to blessings

PRAISE GOD!!!

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