Giving yourself grace

Alright friends, it's confession time. There is one area in life (okay, probably a lot of areas) that I really, truly am miserable at. I'm talking "dolphin trying to walk on ground" bad. And the worst part is, it's only recently that I have learned this flaw of mine.

I cannot give grace to myself. Well, I probably could, but I don't. I expect constant perfection in every aspect of my life. And when I fail, I do NOT react well. Like, I'll keep myself up at night for weeks over something that most people could probably just brush off.

Now, you may be saying, "Hold on. I thought that setting high ecxpectations for yourself is a good thing!" And, sure, it's great to set a high standard for the way that you conduct your life. However, you have to remember that the same grace God gives to every single one of us applies to you as well. Jesus died on the cross for MY sins because He knew that I could never achieve perfection. He knows my human limitations and forgives me for the times my flesh rears its ugly head.

So, if the only person to ever live a completely perfect life can see and love me for the human I am and the mistakes I make... Why can't I do the same for myself? Why do I consistently beat myself up and relive every wrong thing that I do?

Well, you're not going to like the answer. Pride. Pride is the reason. I expect perfection from myself because I think that I can live up to something great. I like to think that I'm good at my job, that I'm good at being a friend, good at the ministry I do... Are you getting the picture? Do you see what letter all of those phrases start with?

I am nothing. Without my Savior, I would be on the fast track to hell. I am not perfect, nor will I ever be. Only through His grace and His Spirit am I able to do ANYTHING. With that perspective, it's a miracle that I ever get something right!

Friends, let's drop our guards. Let's stop expecting to be shiny, perfect people. Push yourselves to growth, but don't hold your mistakes over your own head. Take a posture of humility and remember that you are a sinner in need of Christ, just like everyone else.



"Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith." -Phil. 3:9

"I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved himself and gave himself for me." -Galatians 2:20

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