I have a news flash for you. You are not perfect. Neither am I. We are fallen human beings in a fallen world and we are going to mess up. A lot. Ecclesiastes 7:11 states, "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." So, why do we try so hard to convince ourselves and others that we can avoid making mistakes?
A healthy dose of perfectionism can be good. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do your best work and to strive to reach your God-given potential. However, perfectionism, when it becomes out of balance, can be very unhealthy. George Bernard Shaw said, “A life making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” How can this be so?
First of all, when we attempt to be, or at least appear to be perfect, we are forgetting that God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. We need to allow ourselves and others to see God’s work in our lives. That only works when we are willing to admit that we can’t do it all on our own.
The appearance of perfection also hinders our witness. Others may look at our wrinkle free exterior and assume that only perfect people can be Christians. I wonder how many people hold back from accepting Christ because in their mind they could never be good enough.
I once had a boss that loved to use this expression, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot”. This points to another danger of perfectionism. When we know it all, there’s no reason to learn and grow.
Perfectionism can also be paralyzing. We decide that if we can’t do something to perfection, we won’t do it all. How many important jobs are being left undone because we cannot do them to meet the impossible standards we have set?
Finally, we need to examine the reason for our perfectionism. Often, it is caused by pride. Perfectionism happens when our primary concern becomes how we are presenting ourselves and how good we look to others, not how we are presenting Christ and serving others. If that’s the case, it is time to re-prioritize.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Giving it All Away
Sacrifice. It’s a difficult word, isn’t it? When I hear that word, I think of giving something up that is important to me…. maybe something that I enjoy, a behavior that makes me comfortable, a person that I love.
Yet, sacrifice is exactly what Jesus asks us to do in order to follow him. And, how can we deny Him? After all, he made the ultimate sacrifice for us when he died on the cross, taking the punishment we deserved and forgiving us of our sins.
I can better understand why we have to be ready to make sacrifices for Jesus when I think about my relationship with my husband. I want to come first to him (after God, of course). I don't care if he still watches football, spends time at his art desk or spends an afternoon on his own, doing his own thing. Those are all things he enjoys. However, if he started putting those things before me on his list of priorities, I'd have a real problem with that!
So, what is it that God wants us to sacrifice? Everything. Does that mean that we have to physically give everything away, isolate ourselves from the people and places we love? Not necessarily. But we do have to have a heart that is ready and willing to part with anything in order to make room for Him.
Look at the example of Abraham. God asked him to sacrifice his precious son, the child that Abraham had been promised. When Isaac was bound on the altar and Abraham held the knife in his hand, it was evident that he was ready to let go of the single most important thing in his life in obedience to God. And, the Lord not only provided a ram for the sacrifice, he also blessed Abraham abundantly.
In the New Testament, we see people leaving many things to follow Jesus. Andrew and Simon Peter left their nets…their livelihood. James and John left their boats and their father…giving up not only their work, but leaving their family as well. Nathaniel left the comfort and safety of his fig tree to follow the Lord. Matthew left his sinful and greedy ways as a tax collector.
So, what are you still holding on to? What thing is it in your life that is stopping you from fully giving your heart to God? Ask God to clearly show you the things that you still put before him. Then pray that He’ll give you the strength and courage to let those things go completely.
Yet, sacrifice is exactly what Jesus asks us to do in order to follow him. And, how can we deny Him? After all, he made the ultimate sacrifice for us when he died on the cross, taking the punishment we deserved and forgiving us of our sins.
I can better understand why we have to be ready to make sacrifices for Jesus when I think about my relationship with my husband. I want to come first to him (after God, of course). I don't care if he still watches football, spends time at his art desk or spends an afternoon on his own, doing his own thing. Those are all things he enjoys. However, if he started putting those things before me on his list of priorities, I'd have a real problem with that!
So, what is it that God wants us to sacrifice? Everything. Does that mean that we have to physically give everything away, isolate ourselves from the people and places we love? Not necessarily. But we do have to have a heart that is ready and willing to part with anything in order to make room for Him.
Look at the example of Abraham. God asked him to sacrifice his precious son, the child that Abraham had been promised. When Isaac was bound on the altar and Abraham held the knife in his hand, it was evident that he was ready to let go of the single most important thing in his life in obedience to God. And, the Lord not only provided a ram for the sacrifice, he also blessed Abraham abundantly.
In the New Testament, we see people leaving many things to follow Jesus. Andrew and Simon Peter left their nets…their livelihood. James and John left their boats and their father…giving up not only their work, but leaving their family as well. Nathaniel left the comfort and safety of his fig tree to follow the Lord. Matthew left his sinful and greedy ways as a tax collector.
So, what are you still holding on to? What thing is it in your life that is stopping you from fully giving your heart to God? Ask God to clearly show you the things that you still put before him. Then pray that He’ll give you the strength and courage to let those things go completely.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Forget Me Not
The older I get the worse it seems my memory becomes. When I was a kid, I could remember all of my friends phone numbers; I could tell you anything you wanted to know about my favorite celebrities and I could memorize a song after only listening to it a few times. Now, I can’t even remember my own children’s names most days! The phrase, “Oh, I’m sorry, I completely forgot about that” has become a too-frequent part of my vocabulary.
I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Forgetfulness is just one of the less pleasant side effects of getting older. God knows how prone we are to forget things, which is why in the Bible he so frequently implores his people to remember his miracles, his covenants, his promises and his word. He urges us to keep these things top of mind so that we stay profoundly aware of His relationship with us and his presence in the world.
Jesus used what would be his last time around the Passover table with his disciples to encourage them to remember Him. Paul paints the scene in 1 Corinthians: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Following this example and taking Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a very intimate way to reflect and remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us on a regular basis. We can also look for other ways to remember God’s faithfulness. Maybe it’s a prayer journal that you keep. Periodically, you can look back through it to remember God’s intervention and answered prayers. An artist might create a picture or write a song expressing a spiritually significant experience. Parents, you can use time at the dinner table to ask your kids about the things they are thankful for and to talk about the way God is working in your family’s life. Be creative! How you do it is not important; but, what is important is that God’s love stays always fresh in your mind.
I guess I shouldn’t be so hard on myself. Forgetfulness is just one of the less pleasant side effects of getting older. God knows how prone we are to forget things, which is why in the Bible he so frequently implores his people to remember his miracles, his covenants, his promises and his word. He urges us to keep these things top of mind so that we stay profoundly aware of His relationship with us and his presence in the world.
Jesus used what would be his last time around the Passover table with his disciples to encourage them to remember Him. Paul paints the scene in 1 Corinthians: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Following this example and taking Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a very intimate way to reflect and remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us on a regular basis. We can also look for other ways to remember God’s faithfulness. Maybe it’s a prayer journal that you keep. Periodically, you can look back through it to remember God’s intervention and answered prayers. An artist might create a picture or write a song expressing a spiritually significant experience. Parents, you can use time at the dinner table to ask your kids about the things they are thankful for and to talk about the way God is working in your family’s life. Be creative! How you do it is not important; but, what is important is that God’s love stays always fresh in your mind.
Bring the Rain
I am currently in Nashville for GMA. The highlight of the week is the Dove Awards, it’s sort of like the Grammies of Christian music. So, I’ve decided to use Moment for Mom to dig a little deeper into some of the nominees for song of the year.
One of my favorites from the list is “Bring the Rain” by Mercy Me. It’s a courageous song that with a theme that says, “If hard times are needed to bring me closer to God, then so be it…bring the rain.” Honestly, I don’t know if I’m spiritually mature enough to sing that song yet. It seems pretty risky to say out loud, “I know there’ll be days when this life brings me pain, but if that’s what it takes to praise You, Jesus bring the rain.”
However, I do know that Bart Millard, the lead singer of Mercy Me and co-author of the song, knows exactly the implications of these words. Bart has seen more than his share of rain, including the untimely deaths of his father and his brother-in-law. In addition, his son was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. So, I would consider Bart to be an authority on the ways that God uses our painful experiences as opportunities for growth.
We don’t have to take Bart’s word on it...God’s word verifies this in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And, Bart is not the only person who has gladly accepted difficulties with the greater purpose of growth in mind. In the first book of Peter, the disciple says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Nobody enjoys trials, but we are all bound to go through them. When we do, let’s turn our eyes to Jesus, asking him not only for comfort, but that he will reveal a greater purpose for our pain. So tell me…what’s a little rain?
One of my favorites from the list is “Bring the Rain” by Mercy Me. It’s a courageous song that with a theme that says, “If hard times are needed to bring me closer to God, then so be it…bring the rain.” Honestly, I don’t know if I’m spiritually mature enough to sing that song yet. It seems pretty risky to say out loud, “I know there’ll be days when this life brings me pain, but if that’s what it takes to praise You, Jesus bring the rain.”
However, I do know that Bart Millard, the lead singer of Mercy Me and co-author of the song, knows exactly the implications of these words. Bart has seen more than his share of rain, including the untimely deaths of his father and his brother-in-law. In addition, his son was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. So, I would consider Bart to be an authority on the ways that God uses our painful experiences as opportunities for growth.
We don’t have to take Bart’s word on it...God’s word verifies this in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” And, Bart is not the only person who has gladly accepted difficulties with the greater purpose of growth in mind. In the first book of Peter, the disciple says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
Nobody enjoys trials, but we are all bound to go through them. When we do, let’s turn our eyes to Jesus, asking him not only for comfort, but that he will reveal a greater purpose for our pain. So tell me…what’s a little rain?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Dust to Dust
John 15:3-4: You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I gotta admit…I love cleaning gadgets. I am so easily lured by the promise of an easier, quicker and elbow grease free way to get things done that I’ll open my wallet for just about anything making that promise. But, I’ve found that there is one major setback with every new fangled cleanser, gadget and appliance on the market…you actually have to USE them in order for them to work! Believe it or not, that swiffer sweeper, greased lightening and $500 cyclonic vacuum do a horrible job of housecleaning when they are sitting in the closet. Don’t believe me? Just come over to my house some time and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s the same thing with our spiritual houses. God has provided us with countless tools to help us grow in our faith. But, if we don’t use them, they don’t work! I have at least 10 different bibles in my collection…the NIV, the Living Bible, the Message, Study Bibles, Life Application Bibles and Devotional Bibles. But it wouldn’t matter if I had ten thousand bibles and never read any of them. God has provided me with a wonderful church home, and dozens of other wonderful churches within a 10 minute drive of my home. He has surrounded me with supportive Christian friends and mentors. My bookshelves at work and at home are full of books about Christian Living and Spirituality and my CD shelves are filled with Christian music. God even offers open communication with him through prayer any time I want it. He has indeed provided the resources, but it is my job to put all these things to work in my life. Here’s the really good news, though. Putting our faith building tools to work is usually much more pleasant than housework and the rewards last for an eternity….that’s much longer than a clean kitchen floor!
So, today, take some time to pray that the Lord will show you the tools he’s placed in your spiritual “cleaning cabinet” and that He will provide you with the time, energy and motivation to put them to work in your life.
I gotta admit…I love cleaning gadgets. I am so easily lured by the promise of an easier, quicker and elbow grease free way to get things done that I’ll open my wallet for just about anything making that promise. But, I’ve found that there is one major setback with every new fangled cleanser, gadget and appliance on the market…you actually have to USE them in order for them to work! Believe it or not, that swiffer sweeper, greased lightening and $500 cyclonic vacuum do a horrible job of housecleaning when they are sitting in the closet. Don’t believe me? Just come over to my house some time and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s the same thing with our spiritual houses. God has provided us with countless tools to help us grow in our faith. But, if we don’t use them, they don’t work! I have at least 10 different bibles in my collection…the NIV, the Living Bible, the Message, Study Bibles, Life Application Bibles and Devotional Bibles. But it wouldn’t matter if I had ten thousand bibles and never read any of them. God has provided me with a wonderful church home, and dozens of other wonderful churches within a 10 minute drive of my home. He has surrounded me with supportive Christian friends and mentors. My bookshelves at work and at home are full of books about Christian Living and Spirituality and my CD shelves are filled with Christian music. God even offers open communication with him through prayer any time I want it. He has indeed provided the resources, but it is my job to put all these things to work in my life. Here’s the really good news, though. Putting our faith building tools to work is usually much more pleasant than housework and the rewards last for an eternity….that’s much longer than a clean kitchen floor!
So, today, take some time to pray that the Lord will show you the tools he’s placed in your spiritual “cleaning cabinet” and that He will provide you with the time, energy and motivation to put them to work in your life.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
It's My Party and I'll Whine If I Want To!
The other day I threw a party for myself. A pity party. Do you know what I’m talking about? It’s the kind of deal where you sit around moping because nobody appreciates your hard work. You tell yourself that nothing you do for others is ever enough and you might as well just give up.
Well, in the midst of my little party for one, an uninvited guest showed up…in the form of a new thought. I realized that probably everyone feels unappreciated from time to time; that I am not the only person alive whose hard work sometimes goes unnoticed. I put my new theory to the test and took an informal poll of my friends…and, wouldn’t you know it, over 75% of them said they feel unappreciated at least some of the time.
So, what does this mean? I think our feelings of being taken for granted come from 2 things. First of all, we probably aren’t thanking each other enough. When is the last time you told someone that you appreciated them because of something that they did, or just because of who they are? It’s such an easy thing to do… ”Thank You SO Much!”, “I Really Liked it When You ____”, “Good Job”, “I’m so glad to have you as my ____”are just a few words to use. Let’s make a commitment to express our sincere appreciation to someone every day.
However, if you feel unappreciated most or all of the time…it’s probably time to look within. Examine your motivation for doing things for others. Is it because you genuinely want to help, or is it because you’re looking for praise? Are putting too much of the focus on yourself and placing a higher importance on the things that you do than they really deserve? OUCH! Are your toes hurting as bad as mine are right now?
If so…open up your Bible…the whole chapter of 2nd Corinthians 9 contains some great advice on the attitude we ought to have about serving and giving…without expecting anything in return. Listen to these words from Paul, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Well, in the midst of my little party for one, an uninvited guest showed up…in the form of a new thought. I realized that probably everyone feels unappreciated from time to time; that I am not the only person alive whose hard work sometimes goes unnoticed. I put my new theory to the test and took an informal poll of my friends…and, wouldn’t you know it, over 75% of them said they feel unappreciated at least some of the time.
So, what does this mean? I think our feelings of being taken for granted come from 2 things. First of all, we probably aren’t thanking each other enough. When is the last time you told someone that you appreciated them because of something that they did, or just because of who they are? It’s such an easy thing to do… ”Thank You SO Much!”, “I Really Liked it When You ____”, “Good Job”, “I’m so glad to have you as my ____”are just a few words to use. Let’s make a commitment to express our sincere appreciation to someone every day.
However, if you feel unappreciated most or all of the time…it’s probably time to look within. Examine your motivation for doing things for others. Is it because you genuinely want to help, or is it because you’re looking for praise? Are putting too much of the focus on yourself and placing a higher importance on the things that you do than they really deserve? OUCH! Are your toes hurting as bad as mine are right now?
If so…open up your Bible…the whole chapter of 2nd Corinthians 9 contains some great advice on the attitude we ought to have about serving and giving…without expecting anything in return. Listen to these words from Paul, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's Your Sign?
I love Brandon Heath's song, “I’m Not Who I Was”. In the song, Heath describes finding an old picture of someone with whom he’s had some type of falling out with in the past. Upon seeing the picture, he is reminded of the anger and bitterness this relationship left him with. However, he comes to the realization that he is no longer the same person that he was and he has forgiven his old friend. Heath wishes this person from his past could see the person that he has become. The song’s message is beautifully summarized in this verse, “Well, the thing I find most amazing in amazing grace is the chance to give it out. Maybe that's what love is all about.”
The video for the song shows pictures of people holding up signs. In the first picture of each person the sign they hold describes the kind of person they used to be. The second picture shows the same person with a sign describing the new person they have become in Christ. This video made me think about what my “Before and After” signs would say. One thing I have always struggled with being too self absorbed. The fact I’m an only child may have a little to do with that! But, It’s something I am really trying to change, because I know Jesus wants me to. So, my signs would probably say “Completely Self Centered” and “Trying to Put Others First”.
What about yours? What would they say? Can you look back at who you were before you knew Jesus and see a difference between then and now? That change is a sign that your faith is sincere and that your heart is in 2 Corinthians 5:17.. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Let’s pray that God will continue these transformations in our lives, making us more and more like him each day!
The video for the song shows pictures of people holding up signs. In the first picture of each person the sign they hold describes the kind of person they used to be. The second picture shows the same person with a sign describing the new person they have become in Christ. This video made me think about what my “Before and After” signs would say. One thing I have always struggled with being too self absorbed. The fact I’m an only child may have a little to do with that! But, It’s something I am really trying to change, because I know Jesus wants me to. So, my signs would probably say “Completely Self Centered” and “Trying to Put Others First”.
What about yours? What would they say? Can you look back at who you were before you knew Jesus and see a difference between then and now? That change is a sign that your faith is sincere and that your heart is in 2 Corinthians 5:17.. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Let’s pray that God will continue these transformations in our lives, making us more and more like him each day!
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