As I am transitioning off of Facebook, I still have urges to scroll my timeline. I am glad I did this morning because I read something that was simple yet so profound. My cousin in love (nickname for my husband’s family) Michelle wrote:
“They’re not looking for perfection. They’re looking for Jesus.” Wow. Wow. Wow. I read the sentence and had to read it again and immediately God begin to speak.
Too often we try to line Christianity up with natural perfection. Now let me explain. That doesn’t mean we get a free pass to act a fool and do what we want because “nobody’s perfect” or because “I am a working progress”. Those clichés are overly used as excuses to continue in sin.
Romans 6:1-2 says:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
In other words since God continues to cover us with grace and mercy shall we just continue doing what the flesh wants to do, especially when God forgives us? Absolutely not. To continue in sin would mean the grips of sin would get stronger and stronger. God’s word tells us to “resist the devil and he shall flee.”
If we continue in sin, as Believers, we are saying God is not powerful enough to take these unGodly desires and appetites out of us. Obviously that is not true. There is something we must understand to break these sinful cycles:
1.) God has given us free will. Therefore we have the freedom of choice; we choose what we desire to do. God will never over power our will for His will. So we have to stop praying to God to help us stop doing things we naturally have chosen to continue to do.
I am going to be transparent. I have been trying to stop cursing for years and I mean years, but I couldn’t. What I realized was it wasn’t that I couldn’t, it was I just wouldn’t stop doing it. I was begging God to stop me from doing something I was choosing to do every single day. About 6 weeks ago I was talking to God and he said “if you want to stop cursing, stop cursing.” I know that sounds too simple, but it’s exactly how it went. Sometimes we make things more difficult than they need to be. I have not said one curse word in 6 weeks and now I pray God continues to maintain my sweet lips. Lol! (Sweet lips is a little exaggerated! Lol!)
Though no one is perfect who walked this earth except Jesus, us as Believers are called to have a standard.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48 KJV
Anytime perfect is used in the Bible it has referred to being whole or holy. We as Believers need to start being accountable for what we say (words) and what we do (actions). We need to stop being super deep and thinking God is going to magically stop us from saying things and doing things we have a desire/appetite to say and do. We need to work to become whole and/or holy. Holy is our standard and to do that we need more of His spirit (Holy Ghost) and more of His word. The more space God occupies in us, the less space there is for anything else to include less space for Tiffany.
So stop making excuses and continuing to tell people “yes I am a Christian but no, I’m not perfect” just to continue doing wrong. God has power to deliver you from whatever it is you desire deliverance from. Take notice I said whatever YOU desire deliverance from.
Some people in the world are looking for refuge. Some people are looking for a safe place. Some people of the world are searching for something to escape the daily woes of this world to get rest. People are looking for a savior. Realize they are NOT looking for perfection, they are simply looking for Jesus.
