Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. (Philippians 3:12)
Have you ever looked at some people and thought, “Wow, they seemed to have it all together, I wish my life were like theirs?” Have you ever dreamt of having the perfect life? A life of no hardships and only unwavering faith, everlasting joy and bountiful blessings. How nice would it be to always experience God’s presence and have all our prayers answered. If we could design our own ‘perfect’ Christian lives, this is probably what it would look like.
But we know this ‘perfect life’ is a fallacy that is neither God’s will nor purpose for our existence. Everyone we meet fights battles and carries burdens we are not privy to. Jesus said in John 16:33, “In this world, you will have trouble.” Yes, we will have our share of bumps and bends, even when we are already trying hard to live for God. We will face hardships, heartaches and seasons where nothing makes sense. But Jesus continued, assuring us, “take heart, I have overcome it all!” Life isn’t about having everything going right and well for us. It is about having Jesus in the journey. It is about knowing that when life gets messy or painful, Jesus goes through them all with us. Real peace doesn’t come from a perfect life, it comes from trusting our perfect God. Trusting God is like Peter walking on water. The moment he stopped trusting Jesus, he sank. The peace that comes from trusting Jesus will enable us to sleep through the storms of life.
Perhaps we are patiently waiting for everything to fall into place to finally be happy. We think life will finally be perfect once we have the right job, relationships, opportunities, and enough money. But real contentment isn’t found in perfect circumstances, but in the perfect Saviour. How is it possible for anyone to travel through suffering and sorrow with joy and peace intact? Only hearts filled with gratitude towards God can. Don’t be so preoccupied by what you don’t have yet that you fail to celebrate what you already have. We can be so caught up with depending on our future to feel joy that we end up never experiencing the freedom that true contentment can bring today.
Just because you don’t have a perfect life does not mean you are a failure. Don’t punish yourself with self-condemnation. We will never be perfect on our own. But through Christ, we are made whole and worthy. Jesus was already perfect, but He was still hated and betrayed by people. Don’t put our worth in how others feel or think about us. No matter how hard we try, we may never be good enough for some people. But our flaws make room for God’s light to shine even brighter. God’s love for us isn’t performance based; it doesn’t need to be earned. He deems us worthy of His unconditional love from the get-go. When we are weak, He is strong. When we fail, He gives us second chances. When we feel like giving up, He gives us the strength to persevere.
How can we press on then? Stop striving for a perfect life, family or career. Stop shopping for the perfect church or pastor. Quit chasing the illusion of earthly perfection. Make Christ our greatest goal in life. Commit to build our lives with a perfect God in a family and community of flawed people who need as much grace as you and I do. Strive for transformation and progress, obedience and a deeper relationship with Christ. And finally, perfection will come when we are united with Christ in eternity.
Prayer:
Lord, help me remember that this life you gave me isn’t about being perfect but faithful. Forgive me for trying to chase a life free of struggles instead of pursuing you. Help me to remember that my worth isn’t based on my performance, but on your unconditional love. Help me to trust you amid all that life brings. Even if life isn’t going as planned, I choose to trust and rest in you, knowing that you are always working everything out for my good. Make my life a reflection of your character and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAILY MEDITATIONS:
Monday: Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Tuesday: 2 Corinthians 12:9
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
Wednesday: Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Thursday: John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Friday: John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Saturday: Ecclesiastes 7:20
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.
Sunday: Hebrews 10:14
For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
All scriptures are quoted from the New International Version (NIV).
By Pastor Katherine Han
