All Scripture is taken from the New King James
Version of the Bible.
We often condemn ourselves whenever we fail
or make a mistake. We want so much to be perfect that when we do not measure up
to our self-imposed standards, we get angry and frustrated, not only at
ourselves, but at those around us as well.
The problem which causes this to ourselves is
our own high standards. Many times, we
expect ourselves to do that which has been done by others with more experience
and maturity. Or, as in my case, I expect myself to accomplish as much as
someone who has no physical disability. We fail to make allowances for our own
limitations.
Yet the amazing truth that is so clear from
Scripture is that even God - who demands that His people be holy as He is holy
- has made allowances for us. He has made allowances not only for our sin and
failures, but also for our individual situations and limitations. We find an
illustration of this in Leviticus 27.
Here we find the Lord setting certain standards and amounts of money the
people had to pay in the temple each year in order to be consecrated. A male
between twenty and sixty years old had to pay fifty shekels of silver. (verse
3). But then we read of God’s allowances. “But if he is too
poor to pay your valuation, then he shall present himself before the priest,
and the priest shall set a value for him; according to the ability of him who
vowed, the priest shall value him.” (Leviticus 27:8).
We
all know that God is holy and has set certain standards for His people to live
up to. Paul expressed his desire to live
up to the Lord’s standards and call on his life. “I press toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). From this verse it is evident that Paul
understood God has a very unique and individual call upon each person’s life.
He has created and called each of us to live out the life we are destined to.
You or I cannot measure up to or live the life which the Lord has ordained for
another person to live. Nor will we accomplish what someone else will. But our
problem comes in when we are constantly comparing ourselves with others and
expecting to do what the other person can do. We fail to make allowances for
our own limitations and situations, and therefore are constantly getting angry
and frustrated with ourselves simply because we have imposed unrealistic
expectations upon ourselves. Even God, in all of His perfection and holiness,
does not demand this of us. Believe me, I know this from personal experience.
All my life I have been
comparing and expecting myself to do and accomplish as much as the person
without any physical limitations. I can not, and for years, this was so hard
for me to accept. But now, years later, by the
grace of God, I do not do this as much anymore. Paul warns believers not to do
this to themselves. “For we dare not class ourselves or
compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring
themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not
wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12).
Even the Lord, who is the
perfect and holy One, and who commands those who follow Him to be perfect and
holy, realizes that we will make mistakes and sin. He remembers that we are just
dust and are fallible. “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”
(Psalms 103:14). This is the very reason Jesus Christ came – to pay for our sin
on the Cross. Today, Jesus continues to make intercession for us before the
Father. We have an Advocate with the Father, and the Blood of Jesus Christ
cleanses us from all sin as John tells us in 1 John 1 & 2. “If we confess
our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:7, 2:2).
Let us give ourselves the
same freedom that has been given to us by God. Yes, He is a God of justice who
has set standards for us to live up to. But He is also a God of love and mercy
who is aware of our individual situations, and has made allowances for our
limitations. But even more importantly, God has made a way when we do sin and
make mistakes – we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous
One. So even when we run out of love and patience with ourselves, let us run to
our Heavenly Father, and fall into His arms of love as His love is everlasting.
By
Cindy Mead
