Who told you to?

There seems to be a myth in today's Christian culture that tells us that since we serve Jesus, we need to have it all together. I would love to know who told us that, other than the enemy. Nowhere in the Bible does God call us to be perfect. Yes, He tells us to strive for perfect righteousness, but He knows us and that in our sinful nature, we will always fall short. That is why we need Him so badly!

In this quest for perfection, whether it be in appearance, intelligence, or even a hobby, shame creeps in. Shame is such an ugly thing. Friends, shame is not of Jesus! He convicts us, but does not condemn us. Shame is condemnation in its purest form!

As I write this, the Lord is opening up my eyes to an extensive amount of my life that I strive for perfection in...and not in a God-directed, healthy manner. However, He recently revealed to me that I purposefully create messy areas of my life in order to distract people from places that I know I am not even close to perfect. I would rather have control (don't even get me started on my struggle there) over where people see me as lacking, instead of them getting to the deep, dark, ugly parts that I feel shame about.

I am currently working through (more like battling through) the Bible study Breaking Free by Beth Moore with three other amazing women. Last night, God really showed me that my constant quest for earthly perfection in multiple areas of my life is literally killing my spirit. I am letting the enemy creep into my mind and tell me that those areas are disgusting and that no one will love me if they knew the truth. However, I am reminded that there is One who loves me so much that He sent His Perfect Son to die a sinner's death for me on a cross over 2,000 years ago. Jesus took the wrath of my sin and shame and swallowed it on the cross. He shed His blood over my transgressions so that I would not have to feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Beloved, let Him take the burden that you have been bearing and hiding for so long. He already removed the burden from your heart, but you must receive that it is finished. He can stand next to us all day long and be available for our healing, but until we truly acknowledge His presence, it means nothing. His steadfastness to me is overwhelming, but it is the only time in my life where I have relished in being overwhelmed.

How are you hiding behind walls? How are you covering up a sin that you believe is too great or too ugly to bring to the feet of The Savior? I encourage your to accept that perfection is unattainable in this lifetime, but to also seek the Perfecter of our faith.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. (Philippians 3:12-15)