So Over Perfect

I overthink...everything!  I am constantly plagued by the need to please because I fear I will let EVERYONE down because I hold myself to such a high standard of perfection.  I will let my family down, I will let my friends down, I will let myself down...I have no hope of ever living up to my own standard.  I overthink everything you say, and apply it to myself and our relationship (or lack of) because I must be perfect and therefore you will like me...  More than that, I put the blame on myself for everything that goes wrong.

I must say, in this mindset, I am never happy.  Stolen joy in spades!  What kind of way is that to live a life?

Do you ever feel this way?

I know what you're thinking, "No, I don't feel this way, what kind of self centered person believes she is the center of the world."  I assure you, I do not think nearly so highly of myself.  Then again, maybe some of you can relate...and on some level I hope you can, (partly because that means I'm not alone in this) because I have a beautiful truth to share with you...one that, when I allow myself to truly consider it, always reshapes my thinking.

First, no one is perfect, nor can anyone BE perfect.  Why?  Because we all sin.  We all fall short of the glory of God!  Why should that matter?  Because He, in fact, IS perfect.  Jesus (God in the flesh) left the glory and perfection of Heaven to live a SINLESS life in a drastically imperfect world.  Jesus is perfect, I am not.  We can live yielded to God's commands and so become like Christ in many ways, but our very nature is to sin...to fall short...to fail. Which leads me to the next hurdle...

I will fail!  That is a fact of life.  Disappointments happen.  I will let you down just as you will let me down.  Fact. Of. Life.  My greatest fear is that these mistakes will cause me to be tossed aside and rejected.  But this is not God's response.  God uses our mistakes to teach us and others about his grace and mercy, His goodness and love.  In our weakness, He is made strong!  Why should this matter...?  Because Jesus (God in flesh) died on the cross to take the burden of your sins and mine (past, present, and future) on HIMSELF so that we would no longer be required to pay the penalty of imperfection!  So that we can live in the light of HIS perfection as our own!  And, so the we too can extend grace and mercy, goodness and love to those around us when they fail.  What sweet truth!!!

Lastly, we have no guarantees that anyone will like us...in fact, the bible tells us that we will be hated because of Christ!  And, if we are living yielded to Christ, His light shines through us, and THAT is what people ultimately are attracted to...and it's not something we need to try to make happen.  God does it.  Isn't that so freeing?  Not only can I not be perfect, not only will I always mess up, but I don't have to impress you because God the father (and by extension, everyone else) sees Jesus when He looks at me!  Did you catch that part?  If you've yielded your life to Jesus, it applies to you too!  WHEN GOD LOOKS AT YOU HE SEES HIS SON!!! He sees Jesus.  He sees the cross.  He sees the wounds Christ bore for you SO THAT you and I wouldn't have to strive for perfection but rather remain yielded...remain behind Jesus in the eyes of the Father.

So, there.  No overthinking that...straight forward truth.  I am not the center, Jesus is.  Oh how I pray I will remain yielded to Him and so save myself from the dire pit of perfection that is dug by Satan himself!  Lord, remind me in times of self doubt that only Jesus is perfect, and the only way I can be successful is to hide myself in Him!  I pray the same for you!