“How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?” Galatians 3:3 NLT
Focusing on Jesus gives such freedom! I don’t have to be perfect. Good thing, because as much as I try, I will never get there.
Jesus loves and accepts me as a child of God with all my flaws and failings, quirks and quasi-perfection (ie: lack thereof), my weaknesses and even my strengths.
In fact, my flaws serve as reminders that I’m not perfect. I’m not holy (at all!) and need God’s grace.
As His child, His unconditional love for me far surpasses even the love I have for my children. I love my children no matter what. They have my heart. Yet how much greater is God’s perfect love for me—for all of us!
Freedom from perfection means loving myself as Jesus loves me—focusing on His love and goodness and grace, not focusing on me or any attributes or actions of my own. For any good in me—all I am and all I do—is only possible through Him.
“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “
These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 NIV
This realization and constant remembrance that Jesus deserves all the honor, glory, and credit is the difference between loving and appreciating my life as a gift from Jesus as opposed to an entitled and self-centered focus on myself and my achievements.
Let’s admit it—trying to be perfect is all about me and my achievements.
“Jesus replied, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.’” John 8:54 NIV
Even JESUS did not glorify himself. It all boils down to humility. In and of myself, I am imperfect and unworthy. The only thing that makes me worthy of love is His love.
Lord Jesus,
Thank you for your amazing grace for me. May I rejoice in the flaws that remind me of my human failings and help me focus on You and Your Holiness. And Lord, I thank you for my strengths and blessings, too. May I always remember these as gifts to me—Your child who cannot be or do anything without You. Thank you for this freedom that You provide, Lord.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
“All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us,
so that they would not reach perfection without us.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
Hebrews 11:39 -12:2 NLT
May you enjoy the freedom from perfection that Jesus gives.
Love & blessings,
Dianne
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