Monday, October 17, 2011

Sit Down and Chat With God

Ever find yourself cruising through life with little more than an occasional nod or quick shout out in God’s general direction? If that happens, sit down as quickly as possible and re-engage with Him on a deeper level.

It can be as simple as chatting with Him for a few minutes about how the day’s going. It can be as involved as intensive Bible study, spending time in intentional worship, or refocusing your heart through intercessory prayer. The key is to take some time aside and connect with him.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalm 46:10

It is only in close communion with Him that we benefit from His wisdom and insight for our lives. Frequent interaction brings familiarity, a deeper relationship, and the ability to recognize His voice amidst chaos and confusion. Anchor yourself through time with Him, seeking Him diligently and passionately in prayer.

Thursday, October 06, 2011

The Deception of Perfection

Most people experience it to some degree. You know, that sense of not being good enough and that someone else is smarter, prettier, more organized, walking closer with God, more athletic, more talented, more whatever. The thought is that because we don’t have it all together, all the time, we are somehow inadequate.

No matter how disciplined you are, how gifted, or how hard you try, you will never be perfect. By all means, you should strive for excellence and improvement and seek God in all you do. But there’s a line beyond which is the great deception— the lie that perfection is required. We will never live up to our own and others’ real or imagined level of expectations. Perfection is unattainable. As the Bible says, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” –Romans 3:10

Quit beating yourself up when you mess up or don’t quite perform to the level you’d like. When the enemy whispers or screams lies to you about inadequacy or failures, ignore him and hold on to the promises of the Bible. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” –Romans 5:8

Because of Jesus, God loves you unconditionally. You don’t have to accomplish one more thing, make one more sale, get a promotion, run faster, lift more, perform better, read one more book, earn X amount of money, drive a fancy car, live in a nice neighborhood, or be friends with Mr. and Mrs. So-and-So before you’re good enough. All you need is to step into a relationship with Him through redemption in Christ and receive His love.

Next time you’re tempted to get down on yourself, don’t give in to the deception of perfection. We’re all broken in one way or another. The good news is that God uses broken people in a broken world.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

When do you feel most tempted by the deception of perfection?
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