Less Than Perfect

Mark 10:18 (ESV)

And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Good morning Zebras,

Don’t you wish you were perfect? I do.

I am so tired of making mistakes and having to ask for forgiveness that I just want to curl up and do nothing.

Of course doing nothing accomplishes nothing and I think that is a sin.

None of us are perfect. All of us make mistakes and because of that we need to learn to forgive one another and give each other grace.

This weekend our pastor gave a great sermon on relating with others. He gave a list of characteristics that mark an unhealthy relationship. One of those characteristics was a tendency to be defensive, which unfortunately I have.

I could give you a lot of reasons, like having been wounded so often in the past I immediately go into a defensive position when I feel I am being attacked, but that doesn’t really matter. My reaction is a sin.

The funny thing is I am most defensive with the people I really want to like me.

Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages talks about ways to make others feel loved. He says that people feel love different ways. Some like acts of service, some like gifts, and others prefer that you spend time with them, or have some type of physical contact. But I think I must be a “words of encouragement” girl.

I will work like a dog if you will praise me, but I curl up like a wounded animal when rebuked. Of course that makes it hard to hear criticism, valid or not, so it is something I need to work on.

All of us have areas we need to work on but the great thing is God knows that and loves us still. He knows we are not perfect, but He has the ability to see our heart. He knows the motive that lies beneath the action and He understands and wants to help.

It has been my experience that I can try really hard to change a behavior by focusing all my energy on it with very little success, or I can focus on who God is and who He says I am and the behavior stops.

Love,
Jill