Verse Highlight:
Philippians 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NASB)
Amplified Version: “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].”
Dear Moms,
I like to plan. I don’t really like to commit to the plan, necessarily, but I like there to be a plan, even if it is just in my head. And then I like for things to go according to plan—unless I am the one who has dictated otherwise. I like a clean house. I like it when children obey immediately every time. I like it when we get in a really good day of homeschool and are still done early! I like it when everyone is healthy and when every one gets along (no bickering) and when there are periods of quiet in the house (because people are all quietly behaving themselves). I could go on, but you get it.
And, thankfully, most days do go well! But, rarely do they go completely according to plan. And, the truth is they aren’t meant to! Life is not an artificially scripted experience. And, thank God for this!
Life is a journey where the Lord leads, guides, teaches, corrects, comforts, and loves us as we grow. It is on the journey that maturity and completion come.
Biblically speaking, perfection means “completion, finished, accomplished, fulfilled, to bring to an end” etc. It is what something becomes as it grows & matures—it’s end state. But, to grow & mature you must, well, grow & mature! You must go through process. And, process is often messy. It rarely goes according to plan. But, if you embrace it, you will find joy in its beauty, even in the midst of the messiness!
Understanding this is essential because it will allow you to make room for the journey—yours, your kids’, and everyone else’s! No longer will you be defeated if a day doesn’t go according to plan. Instead, you will see it as an opportunity for growth & grace to win the day.
There is a key to success: Trust God. Put your faith in Him, and not in a generic way. Put your journey in His hands. After all, He is the one that will bring you to your finished state. The Voice Bible says that God “will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you ”. I love that because it indicates that there is a plan. It just may or may not match yours.
This is good news for you because it takes the pressure off! You don’t need to aim for perfection. You don’t need to panic if things don’t go according to plan. And, you aren’t even ultimately in charge of the “grand plan”. This is good news for you personally because you can have confidence that the Lord is with you & will equip you & help you to grow to maturity. You don’t need to be put off by your lack, or messy (even ugly) parts. Instead, trust Him to lead you, guide you, and finish the work He has started in you as He does. (This doesn’t mean you don’t have a part to play, by the way. You will find that following Him is very good, but often not easy as it requires you to do things His way—which requires a lot of growing & stretching as you change to be like Him.)
This is good news for your kids too. First because it makes room for a household that celebrates growing instead of perfection. And, secondly, because it means the Lord can be trusted with their journey, too. This takes the pressure off of you & them. Instead of needing to micromanage, worry, and control their lives, you are free to stay an engaged & loving parent who is partnering with the Lord in their lives. This doesn’t make parenting easy. But, it does remove the wrong type of pressure, leaving room for more freedom, joy, and love in the journey.
You’ve got this mama! No matter where you’re at, its never too late to trust the Lord. So take a deep breath & trust that the Lord’s grace will carry you & your kids as you learn, grow, and love each other this week.
Action Step: Make Room for Perfection.
As said above, perfection is completion. It is a result of maturing. Maturing happens because of process. Your kids will mature as they are given more opportunity & responsibility. You will mature as you learn, grow & change, too. So, this week: make room for growth. Find one practical way to make space for both you & your kids to grow!
For example: Give your children a new chore to do. This may be something they do with you or something you show them how to do & then trust them to do on their own. The important thing is to allow them to grow into it. Don’t be so concerned with the lack of immediate perfection. Instead, celebrate their progress. Guide them, but give them room to grow & mature in doing it.
For yourself, it may mean being honest with yourself (& others). Give up the pressure of having to look like you have it all together. If there is an area of struggle, be honest about it! Ask the Lord to help teach you first & formost—and then actually follow Him as He leads in that area. Also, you may want to have a conversation with your spouse or others where you share your struggle, admit that you are messy in this area & are processing it with the Lord. Ask them simply to give you space and grace as you go. You may be amazed at how giving yourself permission & making room for the process will actually lead you to an increased maturity in an area.