Imperfect, Messy, and Free

        Day 13 in the Write 31 Days challenge. Click here to learn more and to see other 31 Day posts.

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Via Pinterest

       I'm a perfectionist at heart. I always try my hardest to get everything right. No matter what is it. And when its not right or perfect I'm frustrated and sometimes I just quit… thinking I'm not good enough. I'm sure a lot of you reading this are the same way.  
        I've been really struggling lately. There are so many things that I want to do. I want them to be all perfect, but no matter how hard I try, they always seem to be messed up in no matter what I do. 
        I think why I'm so consumed with the idea that all I do has to be perfect is because if it's not, I'll fail and fall on my face. I won't be good enough. I've been consumed with this feeling for years if feels like. 
        Yesterday, God told me something though. I heard Him whisper into my ear and say, "It doesn't have to be perfect. I work through your imperfectness." When I heard that I stop in the middle of what I was doing. It was a real wake up call to what I've been thinking, that all things I did have to be perfect or I'm just no good. Just those few words He whispered is really changing the way I think and feel.
        I am human, I'm not perfect and I'll never be perfect. Since I'm human, the things I do won't always be perfect. But guess what… God is perfect and if we let Him, He can work through us and make the things we do, perfect or not, for His glory. 
        So this is my excuses to be imperfect. To be messy, free, and not always right the first time. Because Jesus works through my imperfections and weaknesses and He makes them for His glory. Its all Him, none of me. And I'm so happy because this makes me free from my weaknesses and imperfections. I don't have to worry about it any more. I don't have to live in the weight and pressure of perfection, because the grace of God will cover me, no matter what. 
        Today, I was reading the blog of one of my internet friend, Patience Pennington. A few days ago she wrote a post about breaking through her insecurities and being brave, even though she's not perfect. To end this blog post, I would like to quote her: 

"Maybe this whole creativity thing is less about being perfect and more about just being brave, you know? Just being willing to step out and do what you think is right- even if you’re not one hundred percent sure how it will turn out. Just singing your best, and being willing to fail and face the consequences. And then getting back up and trying again."

~Patience Pennington

"But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you.' So I am very happy to brag about my weaknesses. Then Christ's power can live in me. For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinda of trouble for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong." 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NCV, italics mine) 

P.s. If you would like to read Patience's blog post in full, you can click here.