Yep, that's my new motto! Well, not so new - I've had it a couple of years, but in the big scheme of my life, it's new.
And it didn't come a minute too early either. You see, I lived my life mostly as a perfectionist. Now don't get the idea that I did every thing perfectly. Because I knew that I couldn't, I did a lot of nothing.
I was of the mindset that if you did something you'd better do it right or not do it at all. There were some things in my past that I had great success in, and then there were others that I didn't even attempt due to a fear of failure. In retrospect, that's a sad way to live...you miss out on so many things by thinking that you need to be great at them, or know how to do everything well before beginning.
Life is not like that. I'm not saying that we should engage in things with a so-so attitude or that we should settle for mediocrity. I'm saying that we should embrace the adventure of life. If you are a Christian, Jesus has an adventure for each of us to live out. He doesn't expect us to be perfect in our walk with Him or our attempts to serve Him. He does expect us to be obedient!
If we passionately pursue Him, He will perfect us. The Bible promises us that Jesus is not only the author of our faith but the perfecter as well! Boy, is that freeing. God calls us to do many things as women that we won't be perfect in...marriage, (celebrating 20 years today in spite of ourselves =]), parenting, (have given my two great girls the disclaimer "I won't parent you perfectly through the teen years - but I'm passionately committed to you), and ministry, (which looks different in each of our lives). But we don't do any of these alone!
What ever God calls you to, however He chooses to stretch you, remember that you don't have to fear failing Him. He wants to do it with you...wants you to be obedient and do life in the power of His Spirit. Will we make mistakes, yep...but that's OK. We can learn from our mistakes and frankly I would rather make a couple of mistakes in passionate obedience than miss out on what God has prepared for me.
How about you?
Twenty years?! Well, first congratulations! I can't believe it's been that long. I was thinking more like 15-ish. But that doesn't make sense, mathematically, does it? hee hee
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post. Stretching hurts, but so does going against His will.
Happy Belated Anniversary! Woo hooo for 20 years and many more! I'm so loving your disclaimer for your girls...can we have that in print?:). Thanks for the reminder to be allowed to be stretched...even when we find anxiety or nervousness or fear of failure. Oh, what we would have missed if we hadn't said, "Yes, Lord!".
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