God's Grace for Our Imperfect Efforts and Failure to Please God Well

"I wanted to make my life count. I decided to please God well with my life and I created a plan for the day. I created my perfect, unachievable to-do list and tried to achieve perfection, but failed. I failed to meet my expectations again. I am feeling that I am not good enough." Does that sound like you?

As Christians, we want to please God and be perfectly obedient and make the most of our time. Seeking to please God, striving for perfect obedience and being productive with our use of time and resources is good and essential for a closer walk with God. 

But, is God upset with your imperfect efforts and incomplete tasks each day? Is He expecting you to be perfect by your own standards today? The answer is "No".

The only place where we can be absolutely perfect is heaven because of Christ's perfect righteousness imputed on us. God expects only progressive perfection from us here on earth. He gladly accepts your imperfect assignments, imperfect efforts to share the gospel, imperfect Bible knowledge, imperfect To-do lists, as He has already accepted the imperfect You. He is pleased even by your desires to draw close to Him and your small first steps. 

Don't let the devil steal your fullness of joy, by believing his "you are a failure" lie. Keep thanking God for every progress you make in becoming more like Jesus.

Remember, however hard we may try, it is His love for us that drove us to Him. Nobody will ever be perfect on this side of heaven. 

All the best human efforts are still imperfect before Him, but He rewards even our futile attempts to do something good for Him.

Scripture Meditation to combat Perfectionism:

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 - And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 

Ecclesiastes 7:20 - For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Galatians 3:3 - Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Philippians 3:12-14 - Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:15 - Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Luke 16:15 - And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

This Post: Grace for Failures and Imperfection for Christians

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