“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” -Proverbs 17:22
There are so many things that keep us trapped in a moment. Fear, worry, and negative thoughts can cause us to become almost paralyzed. These strong emotions can lock us down and keep us from being productive. Another powerful fixation is the desire for perfection. It is important to seek excellence in what we do, but the self-imposed demand for perfection can keep us from moving forward and finding joy in our work and in our personal lives.
Recently, a birthday invitation for a 5th grader became a viral sensation. It captured the attention of the parents who initially received it, for a very good reason. The invitation reads:
“You are invited to (child’s name) 5th Birthday Party. This event is brought to you by Pinterest fails and the Dollar Store so please set your expectations appropriately.” The invitation hilariously describes the struggles all parents have in making an event like this special.
Carys and Ryan Roberts are the parents of identical twin girls who are excited to celebrate their 5th birthday. Like most parents, their days are filled with the stress of work, school, after-school activities, and trying to keep their house functioning. When additional things are added to the calendar, it can become stressful, to say the least. The Roberts are going to have a wonderful party, but they let themselves off the hook, and relieved the stress of so many parents by creatively setting the demands of perfection aside.
The perfection that God asks of us is to be perfected in love. We are called to love God and love our neighbors. Our daily lives are often busy, and at times chaotic. It is difficult to get everything on our to-do list accomplished, and it is impossible to do it all perfectly. God calls us to a life of joy and peace. When we allow the demands of perfection to paralyze us, we miss out on the life we have been set free to live.
To enjoy the life God has given us, we must first look to the God who loves us. We must grow to love God with our whole heart. Life flows from that constant encounter with God. Perfection is a rarity. God’s loving presence is constant. Let us strive for God and from that, we will find the life we truly desire.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
