Perfection...

Last night I had some alone time at home, it was wonderful. All my boys (even daddy) went to bed early and I spent time reading and seeking my Lord. I just have to share with you what God showed me through reading a chapter in "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God" entitled Too Good to be True: Freedom from the Bondage of Perfectionism. Here is what I wrote in my prayer journal:

"Thank You Father God that You are a perfect God - and that You do not expect me or need me to be perfect! In fact, you need me to be weak and humble, so that Your strength can be demonstrated in my weakness - and so that You get glorified!

Thank You that You are continually day by day sanctifying me - to one day make me perfect - when I get to be with You in Glory!

Please deliver me from the mentality that I need to be the perfect wife, perfect mom, perfect housekeeper, perfect cook - and help me be who You have called me to be, totally dependent on You to make me into someone who brings You glory."

I do not know why it took it until now, but the light bulb went off in my head! I do not have to be the perfect wife or supermom, when I have a perfect God! I do not have to keep striving to have a home fit for the pages of Southern Living (mine is far from that anyway), to have children who never do anything wrong, and to have a husband who is always satisfied with everything I do and say - all that is impossible! But when I am weak, then God can show Himself strong through my life, and He will get all the glory! So now I am going to do my best to take pleasure in the hard, frustrating, sometimes stressful times of my days, and look to God, for the power of Christ to rest upon me, to work in my situations in a way I never could on my own!

2 Corinthians 12:9-11
"And He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong."

"Read it again sisters! When you are weak, let out a whoop, because whatever you are able to do comes through the grace of God. When you are nothing, shout "Hallelujah!" because Jesus is getting all the glory and honor for what you accomplish. God loves His weak, imperfect, needy people. He didn't choose us because we won some international awards for strength, beauty, or intelligence. He made us for Himself, and He is going to provide us with everything we need to serve Him and love others through our imperfect homes and families. What a joy to serve our perfect Creator, Who made us in His image and is transforming us (slowly, but surely) into the image of His perfect Son." (Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, page 81).

Is this liberating for anyone else? I would love to hear from you!