Do you ever feel like life is like an unhill climb. That we are always trying to acheive something more...something better? That we are trying to improve something or shake a bad habit that has been weighing us down...?
Now there is nothing wrong with desiring to achieve more, do more, be better, or get rid of bad habits and sin in our lives.
But my question is, what is our motivation? Acceptance? Approval? Feeling loved by someone else? Perfection?
There is this idea that our culture lives with...you got to be bigger, better, smarter, taller, better looking, more successful....perfect in comparison to everyone else.
Now again, I am not against the desire to grow, mature, and live more holier lives...we are called to that very clearly in scripture. What I want us to think about is our motivation.
What do we do in a culture that says you have to ber perfect, with a verse like Romans 3:23- For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...?
Let's face it...we are sinners...and really good at it. Our world is broken, we are broken, yet God pursued us even while we were still broken...that is amazing.
So yes, God's desire for us is that we would become more like Jesus. That is is the point of Christianity. But at the same time, that doesn't mean trying harder to put up a "perfect" exterior. It means recognizing that your sin...your brokenness runs deep...into your heart. And the only answer is what Jesus calls us to do- "Come to me..."
If you are struggling with:
Sin.....Come to me.
Relationships...Come to me.
Hatred....Come to me.
Idolatry...Come to me.
Pride...Come to me.
Laziness...Come to me.
Worry & Fear...Come to me.
Don't feel loved?...Come to me.
You see, it is not about fixing ourselves up and then God wll accept us. Jesus was perfect for us. We need to have faith in His perfection. When we do...when we get that God loves just as we are...we begin to change...not because we have to, to keep His love...but because we already have everything we need in Him! And when we get this, all of our brokenness...our crack...begin to heal and we begin to live lives that trust in the promise that He will never let us go...because of Jesus!
Use the questions below to help you go deeper with this idea that in ther midst of our PRESENT IMPERFECTIONS...God remains PERFECT!
1. Re-read Mattew 5:17-48, especially verse 48
2. Now read Matthew 11:28
- Do you think there is a reason why Jesus' call to be "perfect"...to keep the Law...comes first?
- The people in these verses are just like us...they felt the pressure to be perfect...why do we need to come to the point when we realize we can't be perfect...before we understand God's love for us?
3. Matthew 11:28
- Do you have a hard time believing that you can go to Jesus, just as you are, without having to clean yourself us first?
- Why or why not?
4. Read Hebrews 4:16
-How do you define the word confidence?
- Do you have confidence when approaching God?- Why or why not?
- What is the danger of trying to ignore the fact that we are broken?
- What is the promise to us who are broken in these verses?
- What is the point of confession and repentance?
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