Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of for me. Philippians 3:12 NIV

So many times I’ve found myself stuck in a rut; the kind of rut where you’re feeling overloaded, exhausted and frustrated.  It just always seems like you’re not good enough and like you will never measure up.  You’re going as fast as you can and yet life seems to be passing by and you are going nowhere.  

Have you ever been here?

Have you felt like you just don’t measure up?

Have you felt like you had to have it all together?

I think we look at the lives of those around us and think we have to measure up.  Without realizing it we look at the lives of others and come up with unrealistic expectations of how our lives are to be as Christians.  We set the standards so high that we set ourselves up for failure.

I am guilty of this.  I’ve tried my hardest to live as a perfect Christian.  Over time the Lord has shown me that it’s not about being perfect.  It’s about focusing on Him and always putting Him first.  We don’t give our life to the Lord and suddenly start living a perfect life.  We have to allow Him to work in our lives and it’s then that He begins to change us.

As long as we are on this earth we will always be a “work in progress” and this is something that we need to be okay with.  

Yet You, Lord, are the Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter.  We are all a work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 NIV

Are you allowing God to refine you?  Are you allowing Him to mold you into the person He wants you to be?  Take a moment to ask God to search your heart and reveal to you any area of your life that you are holding on to.  Allow Him to begin to refine that area.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You so much for loving us.  Thank You for being our Potter and constantly refining us to be more like Jesus.  Help us to give You the parts of our lives that we may be holding on to.  Continue to make us into the person that You would have us to be.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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