I’m overweight, my house is messy, I yell at my kids, I watch too much TV, spend too much time on the computer and too little time in the Bible.  I don’t exercise enough, I let folded laundry sit in the basket for days, my kids play  a lot of video games, I don’t stick to budgets, I pay bills late.  I’ve lied, gossiped, cheated.

I’m imperfect!

I’m learning to embrace my imperfection but not settle for it.  I know this side of Heaven, I will never be perfect.  However I refuse to remain complacent in my imperfection and choose to press on to be the mom, wife, friend, woman, Christ follower God created me to be.

Those are the words that I first typed when I decided to write a blog.  You can always find them on the link labeled “Press On?” at the top of the page.  I’ve been dwelling on them a lot lately.  I want to make sure that as I share my imperfections here with you, that I am clear about 2 things.

1. It is perfectly healthy to understand our imperfections, to confess our sins.  But it is not OK to let them define us.  It is not OK to just write things off as who we are.  We can’t just say, “When I get angry I yell at my kids.”  Instead we can admit that sometimes we yell at our kids, but then we need to press on to change our behavior.  For me, it means coming before Christ and admitting that without Him, I’m a mess.  That I need to live in His power to be patient and kind and gentle with my children.  That I need to live in His power to have self-control with my eating and how I spend my time.  That I need to live in His power to love that person who is being a real jerk to me.  That I need to live in His power to trust Him and be full of peace instead of worry and anxiety.

and…

2.  On this side of eternity, I will remain imperfect… no matter how much I press on.  But the beautiful,  fantastic, wonderful, amazing truth is that I live as a forgiven daughter of God.  When I confess my sins (yes, most of my imperfections are sins) to God, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  I don’t need to dwell on my sin.  I don’t need to beat myself up for my sin.  I need to confess them, accept God’s forgiveness.  Forgive myself.  And press on, just as the Apostle Paul did.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4: 12-14)

I invite you to press on together with me.  I’ve been, and I’ll continue to share thoughts and stories from my journey and look forward to hearing about yours.

♥Becki (imperfect wife of an imperfect man, imperfect mom of 3 imperfect boys, forgiven daughter of a perfect God.)

“Not that I already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12)