By Whose Standard?

I have failed! I have fallen short! Can’t I just get it right?  As these words echoed through my mind, I felt a nudge asking me, by whose standard? Now, it always takes me a bit to figure out what God is trying to say.  So trust that I was confused.  I certainly didn’t think I passed and I wasn’t feeling good but I kept hearing by whose standard?

As I sat with these words beating myself up for not living up to “the standard”, the revelation began to unfold.  This one was a whooping though. In that moment, God revealed that if I can clearly state that I fail, then I would be arrogant enough to believe that I have passed. 

I was still a bit confused by that revelation since it clearly takes me a while.  So, I had to sit with God much longer.  It was then I got my aha moment. If I don’t know the criteria, how could I decide if I failed or passed?  Do I really know what qualities God was trying to extract in me as I walk my path?  It is very easy to look at our lives and “clean up” according to our own standards. But, are they God’s standards?

When we are placed in trials, or in any situation as a matter of fact, God sometimes uses them to get certain qualities out of us.  Sometimes only in hindsight do we then realize why God took us on a particular path.

The enemy’s main goal is to make you feel inadequate like you are never enough and that you can never get ahead.  He convinces you that you are failing at the standard you use to measure your worth.  And that while you can never measure up, you better try.

Now, I am not saying to act subpar, live unrighteous, and do things anyhow. But we tend only to give ourselves a passing grade based on our worldly standards and limiting mindsets.  What I have learned is that I need to give myself grace.

I will mess up and that’s okay. Even admitting that is hard, but the key is to recognize, repent and get back up.  Even when I think that I have failed by my standard, who knows what qualities I gain from that failure that God can use?

Re-Couragement

So my re-couragement for you today as I was re-couraged by a fellow believer as I battled with this revelation from God.  These three simple words:  Give Yourself GRACE. 

The bible tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. ~ Romans 3:23-24 NIV. 

So when you are tempted to beat yourself up for failing, ask yourself the question- by whose standard?  Even if it was by God’s standards, He is still there waiting for you with open arms to come back to Him so that He can restore.  Give yourself some grace today!

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