Perfection, Pressure, and Peace
Do you ever feel so blessed by God’s goodness, but then in the same breath, feel like you are failing at life? You are trying, but you are overwhelmed? You know in your heart that it’s all good, but on the outside, it’s all hard? You appreciate that you have everything you need, but you want more?
This is the time of year when I usually question, “What exactly am I doing?”
Once school starts, the life of routine begins once again. It all starts out so well. Everything is fresh, experiences are new, spaces are organized, and expectations are high. It’s all good.
Until it’s not.
The laundry piles up, stacks of papers accumulate, appointments are forgotten. If you are like me, you wonder how things changed in a matter of days. You felt like you had a handle on things, and then all of a sudden, you have to add your to-do list to your new to-do list. You are playing the two steps forward, three steps back dance.
And, you tell yourself it would all be ok, if you didn’t have those unexpected things pop up. You know, those things called LIFE. Trying to fix all the things. The things we see like the house, the work, the calendar, as well as the things we don’t, the anxieties, the fears, the worries…
Some days you put on the armour of God and meet what is thrown at you with courage, love, understanding, and grace…..and if you are like me, a lot of caffeine.
And, some days you struggle…
Here are a few things I have learned to focus on when it all gets to be A LOT.
- God does not call you to be perfect. I know you know this, but sometimes it helps to hear it. You are made perfect only through Jesus, not through all the “stuff” you do and do well.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God,not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
2. Find your people. Ask for help when you need it. When you are trying to fool everyone thinking you have it all together and don’t need the help, the help won’t come. Let your people know you need them, and then let them help.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” Ecclesiastics 4:9-10 (NIV)
3. Guard your heart when you start comparing yourself to others. Don’t let others’ achievements and adventures make you feel less. Each of us has our purpose that God has mapped out with our own special moments. Don’t try to live in someone else’s plan.
“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.” Galatians 6:4-5 (NIV)
4. Keep your eyes on God. What is your motivation? Attention from your boss? Content kids? You work hard. You try to be on time and have the all the answers. You strive to have it all, and you don’t quite get there. You ultimately are not working for your boss, your kids, or even your loved ones. When the focus is on God, He takes care of all the rest.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians3: 23-24 (NIV)
5. Grace. Live it. Learn to give it and receive it. This is not easy for us perfectionists. It takes practice. Be intentional until it becomes habit. When you give more of it, it’s easier to receive it. You might not always feel that others deserve it or that you have earned it yourself. But when you consider God’s grace, you begin to that understand none of us are ever worthy, yet He so freely offers it to us all.
“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 1:2 (NIV)
So much of this is not new, but I know I need to be reminded of it time and time again. So, my hope is this might bring a little peace in the stage of life you are living. We are all doing the best we can, learning more and more how to live and love like Jesus! So, give up the perfection, no more pressure, and bring on the peace!