As a child growing up, I was regularly told that I was the perfect child, that I did what I was told, etc. This made it difficult for me to dare to be imperfect…in other words, it made it difficult for me to fail, to try something and if it didn’t work out, then to learn from that choice.

The truth is, I will fail. Failure isn’t bad, if I view it as a lesson to learn from my wrong choices, especially if they are sinful choices.

But God has shown me that I am not perfect, and that I will fail. However, when He tells me that I am imperfect, it is not because He wants to shun me, but because He wants me to understand that I am a sinner, and to grow me in His holy ways. It is eternally valuable for me to know that I am a sinner.

As I understand the depth of my sin, I recognize my need for Jesus, My Savior. There is absolutely nothing I can do on my own accord to repair the chasm sin created with our great Creator God.

Recognizing that I am a sinner, has brought me to my knees, causing me to acknowledge Jesus as the One and only great Redeemer. Jesus wants you to understand this also. Once we understand our need for Jesus, and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we are then on His righteous path, and that is where we want to be.

This can only happen when we humble ourselves before Him:

Matthew 23:12: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

James 4:6: “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Daniel 10:12: “Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

As I humble myself before God, I must understand that I will continue to make wrong choices and to sin. I will miss the mark He sets out before us in His Word. I will fail. But God has covered our sins through Jesus’ atoning work on the cross. 

Even when I don’t sin, and I simply make a poor choice, God wants to help me to learn from those choices. Pride can hold me back from daring to be imperfect, from making choices that could actually turn out to be beneficial. 

It is not possible for us to be perfect or sinless on this side of eternity BUT we can sin less often, and learn to make better choices. When we sin, our responsibility is to confess our sin because God is faithful and just, and will forgive us for our past and continued sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

1 John 1:9 states it this way: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

People who confess their sins are daring, because so many people want to judge us for the sins they see us commit. But God wants to forgive us for our sins! He wants to help us, not push us away from Himself.

When we dare to be imperfect, we are risking people being uncomfortable with us because we confess our mistakes and sins. When we do this, it often leads people to be ill at ease, because they know they’ve sinned, or made a poor decision, and they don’t want to admit it.

When we dare to be imperfect, it is humbling. Confessing our error and sins reminds us that we are imperfect. But God is right there with us, to forgive and restore us to fellowship with Himself.

In “Got Questions” there is an article entitled “What is the Meaning of Perfection in the Bible” – this is the link: https://www.gotquestions.org/perfection-in-the-Bible.html

Below is a paragraph from this article:

“As we read in Matthew 5:48, God’s children are called to be perfect. This does not mean that humans can obtain the same holy perfection as God, for He alone is set apart in holiness (Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 99:9; Exodus 15:11). The call to be perfect is what the apostle Paul meant when he said, “Be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1, ESV). As children tend to imitate their parents, God’s children ought to imitate their Lord and reflect His perfection in the way they live.”

As we pursue God, His holiness, His perfection, we will find ourselves faltering in sinful ways. It is necessary that we continue to dare to be imperfect. We confess our sins, make restitution if necessary, and move ahead with God, continuing to pursue holiness. This is the pattern of life for Christ’s followers until the day His people meet Him in eternal life.

The first step to daring to be imperfect, is to acknowledge you are a sinner, and need Jesus as your Savior. Have you taken that step? If not, why not? If yes, how rapidly do you confess and repent of your sin? How quickly do you continue to move forward with Christ, not being held back by the thought that you may fail again? We will fail again.

It is ok to admit we are imperfect. God already knows that, and He still loves us! He planned to save us before we were ever born. He didn’t save us because we are perfect, He saved us because we are imperfect sinners, and He wanted, and still wants to perfect us!!

Praise God for His amazing lovingkindness, His mercy and grace that make it possible for us to become perfect through Jesus.

Would you like to discuss your need for Jesus? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.