Browsing Tag

God

Uncategorized

The Perfection Scam

photo (13)

 

We all (myself included) seem to try so hard to achieve perfection…perfect jobs, perfect marriages, perfect credit scores, perfect children with perfect grades.  We see post after post on social media of friends jetting off to exotic vacations and earning job promotions, achieving dramatic weight loss or financial success, and sometimes we wonder what we’re not doing right.  Why aren’t our lives perfect when everyone else’s lives seem so grand? Perfection is a delusion.  Most of us have this vision of what a perfect life looks like and who has it.  We may see this “perfect mom” who gets her kids everywhere on time, always dressed well with shiny smiles. She bakes for every bake sale, heads every committee, takes care of a meticulous home, and does it all while maintaining a slim physique and fabulous hair.  While those attributes and accomplishments are all admirable, no one and no thing is perfect.  What looks perfect never really is.  Everyone has something they struggle with, some sort of battle. Some of us are just better at masking it than others.

Perfection is elusive.  Happiness is not.  We can do our best at everything we attempt (and we should) but trying to live up to the idea of some idyllic life simply isn’t realistic.  It’s not human.  The only true perfection we can ever hope to find is in the only One who is without flaw.  Remember that YOU are capable and worthy of all good things.

“As for God, His way is perfect. The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 18:30

Encouragement

Directionally Challenged…The GPS

I’m a nervous driver when it comes to traveling in unfamiliar territory, especially if the unfamiliar is near or in a city.  I’m nearly convinced that if the GPS had never been invented I wouldn’t be able to travel far by car on my own.  Even with my trusty GPS, I sometimes usurp its authority.  The truth of it is, I occasionally overrule the clear directions given by my GPS.  When the next path seems odd or doesn’t make perfect sense to me, I will go left instead of the instructed right, or take this exit instead of the next guided one. Invariably, this choice of mine leads me in the wrong direction, most often costing me valuable time and causing unnecessary frustration.  What was my reasoning in this situation, I usually ask myself.  Did I think that my limited view from my car on foreign highways was a better, more accurate view than the mammoth satellite in the sky has that can see where all roads lead?

 

This can, at times, parallel my relationship with God. I seek His guidance.  I ask for His help.  Then I think I know better (or that I know faster if He doesn’t give me immediate clarity in a situation), so I go my own way instead of availing to His direction.  Every once in awhile, I forget that He sees the big picture, not only this minute that I can see, but days, months, years ahead of now. Where I can only see where I’ve come from and where I am now, He can see the amazing places I have yet to go and the fantastic things I’ve yet to do and be.  When I start to think I know best, I have to check myself and remember Who has the best view and the fail-proof directions.

“Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight.” ~Proverbs 3:6

Be Encouraged!

1834624195191816230914