You Are Not Perfect

 

 

When I saw this on Pinterest awhile back I thought, “yes this is perfect.”  I am a Christian, who can be a hypocrite, who does backslide, stumbles, and falls. However, God is with me and molding me each step of the way. Each time I fall, He picks me right back up. He shows me areas I need to fix. He does not have me walk in this world alone. I need Him because I am not perfect and neither are you.

 

 

Lately, I have been hearing about this “perfect Christian.”  In my earlier walk with Christ I felt I had to be perfect. I had to put on that fake smile, love my enemies, do not judge, do not lie, and pretend my world was perfect. I can tell you I quickly hit rock bottom trying to portray this perfect life now that I was a Christian. I was reading my Bible and finding exactly what God wanted me to be as a follower. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself. Anytime I sinned I would tell myself that I knew I could not do this Christian thing. I wanted to change. I did not want to be the person I was prior to accepting Jesus. I hated myself and I truly wanted this Christian thing to work.

I began reading my Bible and praying. I would attend church more than just on Sundays. I would talk more with close friends about Jesus. I would see other people farther in their walk with Christ sinning and yet asking for His forgiveness. I would think to myself how could you sin and then still be happy. You obviously are not “Christian.”

Yes, I had A LOT to learn.

The closer I was getting to God the more I understood. I am not perfect. God does not call us to be perfect. If we are perfect then we do not need Him. Yes, God wants us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us. He wants us to have a close relationship with Him and to witness to those who do not know Him. God did not come to this earth to save those who already believed in Him. No, God came to this earth to save those who were lost. To save those who did not know Him. Nothing has changed.

WE ALL SIN. Christian or not. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

There are many key words in that scripture but one words stands out to me. All. God did not say those who do not follow Me fall short. No He said, all. That means everyone including Christians.

I am not saying that it is okay to go out and sin and then expect God to forgive. What I am saying is that we are called to live like Jesus. To love our enemies, do not judge, and do not lie. We are to pray and have a close relationship with God. We will have days that we fall short and will sin and sometimes we do not even know we sin. Days will occur that we lash out at someone, maybe a non-Christian, and we do not show His love. Days will occur where the pressure of being this “perfect Christian” will become too much for you. I am here to tell you that is okay. You are not perfect. Only one person has every walked this earth perfectly and that was Jesus.

The best part of all this is He will continue to love us because we are His spotted lambs. He loves us regardless of our imperfections. We are His children and He hears each and every one of us; Christian or non-Christian. He wants a relationship with us because “while we were still sinners He died for us” Romans 5:8

So, stop trying to be the “perfect Christian” and focus more on your relationship with God. Give yourself up to Him. He will guide you and mold you more and more like Him each day. Eventually your walk with Him will get stronger and you no longer strive to be the “perfect Christian” but a child of God.

Focus more on Him and less on you….

756. Not being perfect

757. Days where nothing is schedule and we can do nothing

758. The man God has called to be my husband

759. The close bond my two blessings have together

760. The upcoming holidays

761. The peaceful feeling watching snow fall

762. His Grace

763. His blessings

764. His sense of humor

765. Reading a 500 page book in three days

Less of you and more of Him…