Matthew 5:48
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Have you ever wanted everything to just be 'perfect' ? Including yourself or people around you?
I have been thinking about what perfection really might mean....
My first thought is sinless.
In some cases, that may be true. But in this scripture, the word 'perfect' was translated from the Greek teleios, meaning“complete”,it implies "maturity", it does not mean without sin.
Studying helps us grow deeper into God's Word.
I know there is more study that can go into this.
But, I would like to keep it simple and address what has been on my heart today, and that is the guilt that we often place on ourselves when we sin or fall short of expectations.
Who better do we ever find ,to take a guilt trip with, than ourselves.
I have a dear friend, who was feeling guilt over something she had said and done.
The 'if only's' and 'what if's' were tearing her apart.
When she finally stopped and prayed....
He showed her that it wasn't really about being perfect, in the sense that she is going to 'get it right' every time.
Instead, it became more about the journey of daily learning to walk with Him, and letting Him be Lord.
He gave her room to breathe and relax, knowing she was doing her best.
He met her right where she was, and slowly she started measuring her perfection by the love and purpose He had given her.
Guess what ?...she still doesn't get it right, every time and neither do we.
But as we strive to be complete...
He will walk with us every step of the way and release us from the pressure to be perfect, and instead give us the grace to become COMPLETE.
Isn't it about time you exhale...
1 Corinthians 13:11,12
"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."
Breathe...He is here..the journey has just begun.
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Have you ever wanted everything to just be 'perfect' ? Including yourself or people around you?
I have been thinking about what perfection really might mean....
My first thought is sinless.
In some cases, that may be true. But in this scripture, the word 'perfect' was translated from the Greek teleios, meaning“complete”,it implies "maturity", it does not mean without sin.
Studying helps us grow deeper into God's Word.
I know there is more study that can go into this.
But, I would like to keep it simple and address what has been on my heart today, and that is the guilt that we often place on ourselves when we sin or fall short of expectations.
Who better do we ever find ,to take a guilt trip with, than ourselves.
I have a dear friend, who was feeling guilt over something she had said and done.
The 'if only's' and 'what if's' were tearing her apart.
When she finally stopped and prayed....
He showed her that it wasn't really about being perfect, in the sense that she is going to 'get it right' every time.
Instead, it became more about the journey of daily learning to walk with Him, and letting Him be Lord.
He gave her room to breathe and relax, knowing she was doing her best.
He met her right where she was, and slowly she started measuring her perfection by the love and purpose He had given her.
Guess what ?...she still doesn't get it right, every time and neither do we.
But as we strive to be complete...
He will walk with us every step of the way and release us from the pressure to be perfect, and instead give us the grace to become COMPLETE.
Isn't it about time you exhale...
1 Corinthians 13:11,12
"When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely."
Well written.
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