Tag: perfection

31 Days of Imperfection

(Im)perfect Love {31 Days of Imperfection – Day 14}

Rebekah Freed

This morning I found myself thinking more about yesterday’s post about looking back at times when our past keeps us from action in the present or future.  I think one of the biggest hindrances for almost every single human is remembering times when they were hurt in relationships before.  Maybe someone did something that betrayed you, or a loved one died, or someone had to move away.  Whether the loss was intentional or not, these situations often keep us from wanting to love again.  We’re afraid that if we love again, we’ll just be hurt again and we’re not so sure that’s a risk we want to take.

I’m learning a lot right now in my personal devotion life about the truth that if there is fear involved, then it can’t really be love.  See what I mean in 1 John 4:18…

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 

As I said, I’m still learning about this and don’t have it CLOSE to being figured out, but I think it actually has something to do with being okay with imperfection in relationships.  If we could figure out exactly how to be in relationship with other people, if we could discover a way to take away all the risk, I don’t know if those relationships would be worth it.  Isn’t that why God gave us free will in the first place?  He loved us so much but if love was forced into this perfect risk-free box, it wouldn’t really be love at all.  Despite the risk of us turning our backs on him again and again and again, He desired perfect love, which is messy love and risky love.  He wanted real love even if it mean he’d have to die for us.

While there is risk involved, we somehow, by God’s grace, must learn to step past that fear because, as the passage says, “one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  Fear and love can’t reside at the same time because if we’re living truly in the love God’s given us, it drives away all fear.

My perfectionistic personality then wants to “figure it out” to “make sure” I’m loving the “right” way.  Yet what I hear God saying in this passage and the ones before it is this: Don’t worry about if you’re loving “right” just let me love you and it will all flow out of that.  Here is the above passage more in context:

“And so you know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him.  In this way love is made complete among us so that we have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:16-19)

Love is worth the risk.  Not only do we need other people, other people need to see Jesus’ love through us.  It’s not about figuring out how to love or if it’s okay to love it’s all about KNOWING and RELYING ON the love God has for us.  If we’re drowning in God’s love, we’re going to be okay.  If we’re drenched in it, other people will take note.  If it’s overflowing in our lives, they’ll get covered in it too.

Perfect love drives out fear. 

We love because He first loved us.

We don’t have to figure out how to get rid of that fear on our own, we just have to seek Love Himself and fear will pack its bags and disappear.

Even if we do get hurt again, God’s love… his PERFECT love remains.  We can trust in that truth and let our hearts rest in that when fear wants to creep back in.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. … This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  For God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.”  (1 John 3:16,19-20)

31 Days of Imperfection, Music

What if? {31 Days of Imperfection – Day 7}

Rebekah Freed

I found myself at the kitchen sink last night, finally giving in and doing the dishes that had been staring at me all night long.

Music always makes cleaning more exciting, but in breaking out itunes for a little inspiration, I never expected it might break me. Not in a bad way, but more in the “I think God just punched me in the gut” kind of way. If it hadn’t been for that “revelation” earlier in the day the one about fake imperfection and living in God’s dreams for us rather than the expectations of the world (yea, this one) I probably wouldn’t have given it a second thought.  itunes confirmed that I had heard the song before, but as these words came out of the computer, I think they bypassed my ears and went straight to my heart:

What if you lived like you were loved?

What if you did all the things Your heart’s dreaming of?

What if you sang your song at the top of your lungs?

What if you lived…

Like you were loved?

It struck me…  that’s all I’ve been called to do:

To live loved.

And yet, I complicate each day with so many other things.  The question never was, never is, and never will be, “What if I were loved?”  Because WE ARE LOVED.

Yet, we make it the question as we compare ourselves to others…”What if I were like her? then would I be loved?”
We make it the question when we seek approval, we long to be noticed, “What if I wear this outfit or do my hair that way? Then would I be loved?” 
We make it the question when we long for more, “What if I got that new toy or what if I made a little more money?  Maybe THEN I’d feel loved.”

And we forget that WE ARE LOVED! In forgetting that, we struggle to live out the dreams God has for us, we struggle to sing the unique song he’s created our lives to sing.

Dream for a minute, just what might life look like if we truly lived loved?

What kind of chances would you be taking?

What sort of difference could you make?

Would you let go of the secrets that you’ve been keeping,

If love was your shield and strength?

…

What are you waiting for?

There’ll never be, never be a better time.

No one could love you more than He who gave His life

Join me today in answering these questions.  In the comments below, in conversations with your family and friends, in your journal… wherever… answer the questions and then ask God to give you grace to understand YOU ARE LOVED and strength to live like it!

What if you lived like you were loved?

What if you did all the things Your heart’s dreaming of?

What if you sang your song at the top of your lungs?

What if you lived…

Like you were loved?

(What If? by Scott Krippayne)

31 Days of Imperfection, God-Sighting Saturday

You’re NOT in Control! {31 Days of Imperfection – Day 4/God Sighting Saturday}

Rebekah Freed

I sit at breakfast and can’t help but be annoyed.  Somehow a faucet that was perfectly fine yesterday now has a consistent…

drip.

drip.

drip.

And I think: “Isn’t this just how life goes?!?” as I recall other “drips” in life… like computer problems that have plagued the last few months: viruses, programs not working correctly, issues with internet connections.

drip.

drip.

drip.

I see the “drips” in the lives of people around me as well.  Loved ones who just can’t seem to get a break when it comes to health issues.  Others who experience one set of bad news after another.  Friends who find themselves rejected time and time again.

drip.

drip.

drip.

And, at least in my life, this constant dripping seems to scream: YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

I like having things in order, put together, in their place.  I like being in control and having a plan.  I like… being perfect.   As all these things continue to drip, the cup catching the water begins to fill up…. then the bowl… then the bucket… and soon even that is overflowing.  Each drop of water: a reminder I don’t have it together… I’m not in control… I’m not perfect.  Each drop: one more temptation to believe the lies of Satan, to feel like a failure, to wonder what I’m doing wrong, to try to fix it on my own, to become overwhelmed.

And occasionally, you just have to remember to empty the cup, the bowl, the bucket.

And the emptying happens…

… in tears.

sometimes we just need to literally “drip.”

… in music.

“What if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights is what it takes to know You’re near?
What if the trials of this life are your blessings in disguise?” (Blessings by Laura Story)

… in God’s Word.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. … you are precious and honored in my sight… I love you.” (Isa. 43:2,4)

 … in a card from a friend.

You sometimes wonder… can I do this?
                 You can do all things through Christ. (Phil. 4:13)
You ask… do I have what it takes?
                 You’ve got all you need. (2 Pet. 1:3)
You question… is who I am okay?
                 You’re more than okay–You’re His. (Ps. 139:14)

Praying for you today, friend!

… in remembering:

I’m not perfect, but I am loved.
I’m not in control, but I know personally the One who is.
I can’t fix everything, but God placed me in the midst of people willing to help.
I am overwhelmed, but my God is bigger.

And as God’s voice grows louder, the annoying “drip… drip… drip” of Satan’s lies slowly fades away.