I’m a big sister, and I loooove being a big sister. My job as a big sister is to encourage my sisters, to carry them when they can’t carry themselves, to watch out for them, and to be honest with them at all times. I love being this for my sisters, but sometimes I wish I had a big sister to do this for me too. Sometimes, I just need that person who will come along side me, lift me up, but also be real with me and say “hey sis, you don’t need to try so hard.” Maybe as sisters (and brothers) in Christ, we can do this for each other.

I don’t know about you, but I constantly catch myself putting on a facade. I find myself trying to give the illusion of being put together or portraying a seemingly perfect life. On the outside… I won’t lie, it looks pretty nice. But let’s be real here, on the inside, it is so exhausting. It’s exhausting because it’s just not me. That isn’t who I am. I’m not put together and I’m definitely not perfect, but I’m living in a society that tells me I should be. And man, is it easy to get all wrapped up in the expectations of society and the pressure to be perfect.

But there’s good news! Are you ready for it?

Here it is… it’s so simple, so LISTEN UP:

You do not have to be perfect. At all. Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” It doesn’t say that some have fallen short, it says all. That means you, me, and everyone else. And what’s better is that God doesn’t call us to be perfect, he calls us to simply be with him. Mark 8:34 says “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Listen closely: Jesus doesn’t say “Hey, wanna be my follower? Cool, well I’ll just need you go to clean up and get your life together, and then you can come follow me.” No. He says “take up your cross and follow me.” To me, this means Jesus doesn’t want me to dwell on the fact that I’m imperfect, but He doesn’t need me to try to be perfect either, because He knows I can’t. He simply wants me to lay that at His feet, and pursue Him with all my heart. He wants us to come as we are.

When we let go of society’s expectations and we grab on to what God says, we are FREE.

When we lay down that pressure to be perfect, it frees us to be imperfect. His perfect grace covers us so that we CAN be a little messy. His mercy frees us up to be a little all over the place at times. But most of all, it frees us up to be real. We may feel exposed, but this rawness and real-ness that stems from His grace and our imperfection is what prepares us to be transformed into the person God always intended for us to be. How beautiful is that?!

Real is rare. But you deserve to be real. You deserve to become the person Jesus created you to be. So sis, don’t try so hard. Breathe in, breathe out, and surrender–let go. When you let go, you won’t fall, because God’s grace is gonna catch you every time.

With Love,

Sarah

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. — 2 Corinthians 12:9