When That Which is Perfect Has Come . . .

"Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven"

I've always hated that saying. I could tell you it's because it doesn't fully capture the fullness of what Jesus did for us on the cross. It's true. "Just forgiven"? I think we're a whole lot more than "just forgiven". I could say it gives people a license to walk around sinning and treating others badly. I mean if we're not "perfect" it could easily be used as an excuse. But while I know there are some Christians that do act badly, I don't think most are trying to act imperfect because they can. 

To be totally honest, neither of those are the real reasons I have always hated the saying. 

The real reason is I. Want. To. Be. Perfect. 

And I've tried really hard all my life to be. I worry about messing up. About making a mistake as a parent, or as a wife, or as a teacher, or a friend, or a daughter, or . . . you get the gist. Dangit! I just want to be perfect.

But I'm not. 

And it's so easy for me to feel guilty about it. I start playing the comparison game. If I could just . . . I should have done this instead . . . Why can't I be like . . . 

I'm sure some of you can relate.

The problem with striving for perfection is from time to time, when you're actually doing really good, when you haven't had a fight with your spouse for a few days, when you haven't yelled at your kid for a week or two, when your house looks perfect, and you've had your 30 minutes of standard quiet time, you kind start to think you are perfect. You've got it all together. You're doing good. You've got it under control. It's a problem of substituting self reliance for God reliance.

And then wham!

You get frustrated, mad, impatient, fill in the blank with whatever it is that happens to you, and suddenly you're keenly aware of how absolutely imperfect you really are.

And you feel like a failure. 

But that's never how God intended us to live. Rather than focusing on being perfect to please Him, what would it be like if I focused on His perfection? Rather than feeling like the scum of the earth when I mess up, wouldn't I be better off to seek His grace and forgiveness while moving forward?

I'm not justifying sin. There's always a fear of that in the Christian community. Instead I'm saying that we become what we focus on the most. If we focus on our anger, impatience, frustrations, and failures we only become more angry, frustrated, impatient. If we focus on a loving, gracious, Heavenly Father who leads us in all truth through the Holy Spirit. Who guides us to do right because He loves us, then it stands to reason that we will become more like Him with each passing moment.

Romans 2:4 (NKJV)

 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

John 16:13-15 (NKJV)

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

1 Corinthians 13:9-10 (NKJV)

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.