I Corinthians 12: 8-10 reads, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
God wants us to embrace the flaws that we discover about ourselves. This has been the biggest challenge for me. I have constantly worked to have everything "perfect." I did not want anyone to see a flaw in me which made constructive criticism virtually impossible. As a result, I became a liability. In order to experience successful growth and progression it is important to take a clean mirror and look in it. This process should be perpetual throughout our life time. When we look, we cannot choose to pay attention to the features that we like and boast about them only. Like it or not, we are all flawed creatures. If you don't know that now, life will teach you quickly if you allow it to.
When you look in the mirror, don't be afraid to look at the things you don't like. We must come to a place where we love ourselves enough to accept the worst parts of ourselves. This acceptance does not compromise by settling and not working to change but it looks to see how things can be better. As the scripture above suggests, it is in our weakness that God can be strong for us.
When you look in the mirror, don't be afraid to look at the things you don't like. We must come to a place where we love ourselves enough to accept the worst parts of ourselves. This acceptance does not compromise by settling and not working to change but it looks to see how things can be better. As the scripture above suggests, it is in our weakness that God can be strong for us.
Admitting when you are wrong and that you can't do it all can be the best gift in the world. Smile at the things you cannot do. Rejoice in the areas you need to work on. It is in these areas where God can build humility in you. When you come to a place of humility you realize that you need God, and you need people to help you do God's will. Philippians 2:3 reads, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.."
Remember this, God does not use perfect people. His grace is sufficient. The only way a human being experiences perfection is when they allow the holy spirit to come into their hearts and give their hearts over to God. His love and his grace are the closest we will ever be to being perfect in our lifetime. Therefore, ask God to come into your weakness and help you. The fight is not yours alone. II Chronicles 20:15 reads, "He said: 'Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s."
I have often found that it is too much work trying to be perfect. The greatest disadvantage is to work vigorously toward a fantasy instead of fully embracing your reality. It is just as effective as a gerbil running on a pin wheel. You work really hard but don't go anywhere. Embrace your weaknesses by learning to thrive in them. Open yourself up for positive feedback and learn new things. Be patient with yourself. I am still working to move away from this mentality. I will say that being open to being wrong is a lot less stressful than always trying to be right.
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