Have you ever felt like you're running around in circles? Like you're working so hard to reach the goal you've set for yourself, or one that others have set for you, but you're getting nowhere?

The pressure to be perfect is ever-increasing in our world full of Photoshop and social media filters that portray only the most attractive aspects of our lives, while leaving out the chaos, the heartbreak, the bitterness, the flaws. The ugly pieces that show others we are real.

Many of us, including myself, have been in this place of stress and striving, endlessly working to reach the standard of perfection. Never finding rest because we do not want to be unproductive. Our culture idolizes busyness and productivity. It's no wonder so many of us have felt like our worth comes from what we do. As I've discovered God's love and overflowing grace, I look back and realize I had been carrying a heavy burden for far too long. God's character is revealed through His Word, which paints a picture of how just and holy He is. Yet, it also emphasizes His abundance of mercy and grace. Yes, salvation requires repentance. But we also must remember that He already loved us at our darkest, most unrighteous state. He is not withholding His love, waiting until we are free of flaws. It is undeserved. It is grace.

With this understanding of grace and undeserved love and salvation comes a change in our perspective of right living and good works. Rather than for the sake of earning the approval of God, or of man, our motivation shifts. We find ourselves wanting to give, wanting to serve, out of gratitude and out of the overflowing love being poured into us. It is no longer out of obligation or for fear of being rejected by God.

Yesterday in my stress-management class, we talked about different causes of stress, or stressors. One of the stressors noted was the combination of what we think God expects, minus the understanding of His grace. Which makes sense when we consider what Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." That sounds like a pretty high standard if you ask me. How could any of us possibly be perfect in this world?

News flash: We can't. Not on our own, at least.

Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).
If we remain in Him, we will become like Him. If we try to make it on our own, striving for perfection with the strength of our flesh alone, we will fall and we will fail.

But even so, we will find ourselves not measuring up to perfection even when we think our priorities are straight. But that's okay, because there is grace. Jesus knows that we will struggle. We will stumble. But He loves us anyways. Keep your eyes on Him, and you won't have to worry about how close you are to perfect. If our hearts are seeking Him, it will be reflected in our actions and in our words.

“We can afford to follow Him to failure. Faith dares to fail. The resurrection and the judgment will demonstrate before all worlds who won and who lost. We can wait.” - A.W. Tozer