~ When You’re Obsessed With Your Imperfections

Don’t you love it when God uses children to speak to you?

I remember a time when I subbed for a girls’ small group at church. Creativity was the topic on this particular Sunday. In the lesson, we were asked to discuss the ways God had designed each of us to be creative. I asked each girl to write down three specific ways God made her to be creative.

When they finished, I invited them to share their list with the group. While I was listening to them read what they had written, I noticed a similarity—confidence!

There was no insecurity or fear in their voices, only the joyful praise, and acceptance of the unique way God had created them. Every one of these girls confidently shared that her crazy and strange personality was one of the ways God designed her to be creative. The girls weren’t focused on their imperfections or worried about what others would think.

God used those precious girls speak to my heart. Through their sweet little confident words, God showed me I had become obsessed with my imperfections. Instead of confidently praising God for the way he created me, I was fixated on all of the ways I thought I didn’t measure up.

Perfecting my imperfections had become my idol.

When we become obsessed with our imperfections, the desire to be perfect can work its way into our hearts, allowing fear to take root. Once this desire has taken up residence in our hearts, we are at risk of wrapping our identity up in our shortcomings instead of Jesus.

Fixating on our imperfections takes our eyes off Jesus. Click To Tweet

What can we do to keep our focus on Jesus and off of our imperfections?

Stay in communication with God.

It’s hard to have a relationship with someone when we don’t make it a point talk to them. Praying and spending time with the Lord is vital. (Be sure to thank God for the way he created you often!) The more time we spend with someone, the more we become like them. Regularly taking the time to come into his presence helps us to grow more Christlike.

Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Whatever consumes our hearts will rule our hearts. If our hearts are obsessed with all that we’re not, we’ll forget all that Jesus is: the one who loved us enough to take our place on the cross despite our sins and imperfections. But if we keep our hearts in rhythm with God’s heart and our eyes on Jesus, his desires become our desires. And when Jesus is our priority, our imperfections will be the last thing on our minds.

Learning to keep our focus on Jesus instead of our imperfections. Three ways to help us overcome the desire to be perfect.

Meditate on God’s word.

God’s word is the truth. When we fill our hearts and minds with this truth, the need to be perfect falls away. Here are a few verses from scripture that will help take our focus off our imperfections:

Remember that God has a plan and a purpose for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.“ Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Accept who God has created you to be. You are his masterpiece. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.“ Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

Praise God, give thanks and rejoice in the unique way he created you. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

The next time we’re tempted to focus on our imperfections, let’s remember to keep our eyes on Jesus, meditate the scriptures and seek Him through prayer.

Prayer:

Lord, we thank you for the unique way you have created each of us. We rejoice in your masterpiece. Help us to keep our focus on you and use the gifts you have given each of us to share your love with the world. In Jesus, name Amen!

Thank you for joining me for part two of When The Answer Is To Fail. I pray these words will fill you with the hope and encouragement to see your imperfections as a gift. ~Kelly

Linking up with #DanceWithJesus and Grace and Truth today.