We all strive to show the world around us that we live a "tidy, structured life." The truth of the matter is no matter how great and organized someones life looks from the outside there is no such thing as a tidy, structured life. The Lord Himself assures us of that. Everyone has underlying issues weather it has to do with family, friends, marriage, career, self-image, illness, money, addiction, and so on. The pressure to be perfect can sometimes consume us. We feel like we have to show everyone that our life is perfect, or at least pretty close, when in all reality a perfect life is not attainable. We think that being busy and productive means we are doing all we can to glorify The Lord, we wear exhaustion as a status symbol of success. We think that the harder we work and the more we try to do the better off we are. When we try to live independently away from God we experience emptiness and dissatisfaction. We might gain the world but we lose what truly matters. Sometimes God forces us to slow down and reminds us that time spent with Him is our highest priority. There is no need to get caught up and stress about having everything together..we all sin, we all fall short, we all have our own problems present weather they're noticeable to others or not. We all struggle in different areas, sometimes we don't see the imperfections in peoples life, but they are there. If life was perfect on earth, what would we have to look forward to? God knows we're imperfect, He sees our flaws, He knows all of our sins, He knows we fall short, and He loves us anyway. The Lord says, "Much frustration and failure result from you seeking perfection in this life." It is impossible for us to be perfect people and live a perfect life on Earth. Instead of seeking perfection in this fallen world, God wants us to pour our energy into seeking Him. When we focus on Him we can stop worrying about what other people think. The Lord says, "Glorifying and enjoying me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life." We can try to have our life together, do everything ourselves, and make our lives look great to other people, but that's not His purpose for us. Isn't it relieving that God doesn't expect us to be perfect and have everything figured out? We like to plan our days, our months, our life...but that is not how we were designed to live here. God wants us to give our day over to him and watch to see what He will do with it, it's not our job to plan every part of our day in an organized manner. Don't make the mistake of thinking your 'messy' life isn't enough. Take the pressure off yourself, stop comparing your life to those around you, we aren't here to impress people or compete with others for perfection. Besides, the "perfect life" has many different meanings. Embrace the imperfections and pray for spiritual structure. Be compassionate and kind to others, we all struggle no matter how great things seem form the outside. Don't be afraid to admit your life is "messy." We're all fighting our own battles, we're all human..wouldn't it be easier if we all tried to be understanding of the imperfections in all of our lives? Pray for others, look for ways to help, put yourself at their level..we can all relate in someway. Most of all, be kind and compassionate to others as Christ is to all of us. Prayer: "Dear Lord, please help me to focus more on you & less on trying to live a perfect life in an imperfect world. Help me to let go of my need to live a tidy, structured life and live the life you have planned for me. Amen." "Because of The Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22 "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." - 1 Peter 3:8 "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."- Proverbs 3:6 "Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins."- Ecclesiastes 7:20 "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out."- Romans 7:18 "Live from the heart of yourself, seek to be whole-not perfect." "It is easier to be happy if you look beyond imperfections than seeking happiness by trying too hard to make everything perfect." "There is no need to be perfect to inspire others, let people be inspired by how you deal with your imperfections." "The grass isn't always greener on the other side, its green where we water it." "The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday." Do not worry about seeking perfection in this fallen world. God doesn't ask us to be perfect or live an orderly life, He asks us to actively seek Him. Living a tidy, structured life here on Earth and leading everyone to believe our life is perfect is not what will get us to Heaven. We do not need to perform in order to see His love. Take the unnecessary weight of your shoulders, seek God in this 'messy' life and He will show us perfection. Thanks for reading!
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