Perfect

Are you perfect? No... no one is. Despite this fact, many of us strive for a perfection we will never reach. For most women, it's that perfect look-- hair, clothes, makeup, shoes, accessories, and weight. Or maybe it's the perfect life-- homemaker, business woman, mother, or a combination of the three. How about that perfectly clean, immaculately decorated and perfectly organized home that other women would be jealous of? Ahhh.... there it is. In seeking those "perfect" things, who are we really trying to prove our perfection to? Our peers? Our families? Ourselves? Why are we striving for things we cannot attain, things that will not make us happy after all? Why stress ourselves to the point of no return, when we don't have to?

 We live in a world where there's a constant bombardment of "buy this, you need this, you can't have a 'perfect' life without this". Enough is enough.. We don't need the world's version of perfect. We will never have that version, as it is constantly changing. Look around you. Do you REALLY need this season's "perfect" shoe? What happens next season? Oh there's a new perfect shoe! Do you REALLY need to lose those last five pounds to be perfect? Who says? The same people who decided a size two was too big? Why are we listening to the world around us?? Is the world perfect? I think not.
What is perfection anyway?

The definition states this: the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects.

Huh... So being perfect is being free from defects and flaws.. Who can claim that and be telling the truth? Not a single one of us. Not one. We are all imperfect. We are all flawed. We all have those things that we hide from everyone else and hope no one ever finds out how far from perfect we are. We wear masks everywhere we go... work, church, the kids' schools and parties, even, for some of us, in our own homes. How sad is that? I have flaws and defects, people. I'm only human.

But you see, there's this One who IS perfect. He knew we were so messed up and sin had so overtaken the world, we couldn't do anything to save ourselves. There's absolutely no way. He had to send Himself, as Jesus, to save us. He had to show us just how much He loves us, because in the world around us, we are being told constantly: "You aren't worthy of love. You aren't perfect. You won't be perfect until you buy this or do that or change this thing over here." He says: "You are loved. You aren't perfect, but I am, and in my perfection, you will be saved. You will be exactly who I designed you to be, if you will just love ME."

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 3:18-19 says "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things"

We are all sinners. All of us. None of us is perfect.  The good news is, we have a Papa who loves us and is perfect. He can change us, perfect us, make us a new creation that is more than anything we could have imagined. Don't you want that? Don't you want to stop striving and stressing and reaching for those things that won't fulfill that need in you? There's only one way to fill that need, and that is with a PERSONAL, INTENTIONAL, REAL relationship with Papa. Not religion, relationship. Not perfection by the world's standards, but perfection according to the Only standard that should matter... Our loving, patiently waiting Savior.

If you don't know Him, or don't know HOW to accept the Love He already has for you, please pray. Ask Him to guide you to Him, to forgive your sins and to show you what is truth and what is lies, what is real and what is not, and most importantly, what is His definition of love. If you need someone to walk you through it, call your local pastor, a friend who shows God's love, or even message me! Papa will guide you to Him, and you will be so glad He did.