A Moment To Breathe: Find Rest In The MessExemplo

Freedom From Perfection

As I turn my face toward the glow of the alarm clock, I will myself not to look at the time, not wanting to know the limited hours until sunrise. Instead of counting sheep, I talk to the Shepherd, but my thoughts are jumbled. The laundry sits piled in the basket. My to-do list of projects grows. Why can’t I pull it together? Christ came so that I could have freedom, but I’m not free – I’m trapped in an unending chaos of everyday life.

Then, in the stillness of the morning, I hear the faint whisper of the Spirit: “Come to Me and rest.” I reluctantly oblige. And when I open my Bible, my guilt collides with truth. God’s grace is sufficient for me. God never intended for me to be perfect.

Freedom in Christ comes when I relinquish my need for perfection and instead rest in Him. When I let Him fill my shortcomings with the glory that is His and only His, I find rest. Sweet, soul-quenching rest. 

So today, I’m making a promise to myself: not to be burdened with the yoke of perfection. If I could attain this lofty standard, Christ would never have come. For the sake of weary perfectionists everywhere, I’m so glad He did.