You Were Born To Be Real Not Perfect
Sharing Is Caring! ♥ Thank You!
Recently I saw a quote while searching for inspiration and encouragement that really got me thinking. (I love when that happens!) “You were born to be real, not perfect.” What meaning does this hold for you?
Here’s what it means to me…
We live in a world that often tells us to “suck it up, buttercup!” “You’ll be fine, just stop worrying so much,” or “Aw, it’s not that bad – others have it so much worse than you do!”
Feelings and pain become minimized, leaving isolation, rejection and depression in their wake. While it’s true we are incredibly blessed in comparison to others, that doesn’t make our own hurt disappear.
So many people silently suffer and wonder, “Does anybody care? Does anybody see my pain, my grief? Is anyone even real anymore? I can’t be the only one going through all of this?”
Let me encourage you today: You’re not alone.
The failure of people to be real and transparent with their own failings, feelings and struggles might have you feeling you are, but you’re not.
Steven Furtick from Elevation Church says it best, “We see what we didn’t get as a sign of something that we are missing.”
I don’t know about you, but I can really struggle in this area myself. I have been guilty of thinking to myself, “I must not be good enough if they don’t even see my value!”
It’s a huge lie we buy into; internalizing this feeling of rejection and assuming that because people who should see our value don’t – well then, we must really be lacking it, right?
Wrong.
you were born to be real not perfect
Friends, we can’t help a single soul if we aren’t willing to be real ourselves.
This ‘human condition’ of imperfection we were all born with is not unique to us. When we are afraid to show our vulnerability and share our personal truth, someone else is suffering alone and in silence.
Someone needs you. Someone needs your heart, your encouragement, your wisdom and your unique testimony.
No one else can take your place! No one but you can tell your story.
It doesn’t matter what other people think or believe about you. You are here to live your own life, not a repeat of theirs! Living your purpose is where you will find your joy. Don’t buy the lie. – Holly ♥ #encouragement #beyou
We all begin as babies absorbing all we can about this great big world. Sometimes we fell, got a boo boo, maybe cried or screamed a bit and got back up.
If we are truly living, we’re not that much different now. We still fall down sometimes trying to do things on our own, in our own strength.
We still probably cry, kick, scream or throw the occasional temper tantrum. I know that’s not just me over here!
We still get hurt sometimes and need God’s healing touch in our lives.
Yet, we get back up and go on with life – wiser, stronger and better for it.
The purpose of pain has always been to go through so you can grow through. There will always be someone behind you and ahead of you on their own journey. Teaching and helping them turns your pain into purpose. – Holly ♥ #personalgrowth
I’m guilty. I can’t tell you how many times I should’ve done something and didn’t because I was afraid of failing or of not being good enough.
To this very moment, I still struggle with perfectionism. Our inner critics can be so loud sometimes, competing against one another for the loudest voice. I get it.
Even writing this very blog post about not being perfect, I’m thinking to myself, “Bleh, this isn’t very good, is it?” How’s that for irony?
You see, all of us either are or have wrestled with those same feelings and thoughts too.
Perfection is a lie that simply doesn’t exist. It is poison that many of us drink every single day and wonder why we aren’t well. – Holly ♥ #perfectionism
“You change more lives being real than you ever will being fake.” – Holly at wholenesshaven.com ♥
life isn’t always lovely & it’s okay to not be okay!
The God we serve is not blind to our pain or our frailty. We shouldn’t be blind to it in ourselves or others, either.
Sometimes, we hurt. Sometimes we let down our shield of faith and forget Whose we are.
Sometimes our fears and circumstances in life overwhelm us to the point of wanting to give up. I get it!
We all need someone to come alongside us at some point in life, love on us and grab our hand to pull us back up out of the pit of despair.
I touch on this very topic in my post 5 Life Lessons Learned As A Preacher’s Daughter under the heading, “Illusion.”
What you see is not always what you get!
This is the most toxic part of believing we must be perfect; we can’t have problems!
We internalize the pain and isolate ourselves. This isolation then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. You’ll begin to think things like, “If I was …., then I could…”
It’s what our enemy loves to do the most. When we believe the lie that others have it together, but we don’t, it prevents us from sharing the gift of perfect imperfection.
Recommended Related Reading: Dear Person Who Has Been Hurt By The Church (An Open Letter) by Shell Vera ♥
turn your pain into purpose
The life you’ve lived and the journey you’ve taken is unlike anyone else’s. You might find similarities but it’s still uniquely yours.
What happens when we boast in our weaknesses and actually enjoy our imperfection?
But His answer was: “My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.” I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me.
2 Corinthians 12:9
The road you’ve traveled has specifically equipped you for your purpose.
I was reading “Our Daily Bread” and read something that deeply made an impression on me. I pray it speaks to you too.
When we don’t feel we have anything to offer, God takes our “not enough” and makes it “more than enough.”
Jesus says to us, “Place who you are and what you have in My hands. Your broken life. Your story. Your frailty and your failure, your pain and your suffering. Put it in My hands. You’ll be surprised what I can do with it.” Jesus knows that out of our emptiness, He can bring fullness. Out of our weakness, He can reveal His strength.
There’s more than enough fake “perfection” in our world today. What we we need is authentic YOU – the real you – in your imperfection – sharing what you’ve learned and are still learning.
Encouragement is in short supply. Good news has to be hunted for, while fear and panic abound.
Our gifts, talents, stories and skills are the Master’s puzzle. Oh how beautiful we are when we allow Him to shape us into who we are called to be.
How perfect the picture when what we are afraid to show becomes the greatest blessing of our lives as others reach out because they’ve been touched by your truth.
If you’re going through Hell, keep going!
Winston Churchill
My friend, you were born to be real, not perfect. We are all still learning, still growing, still healing and still reeling. It’s okay to not have it all figured out and it’s okay to not feel okay!
The point is to not get stuck in the place of our greatest fears and pain. One foot in front of the other – that’s all it takes. Just wait and see, the scenery will soon change.
All My Heartfelt Love and Prayers To You & Yours,
Recommended Related Reading: Covid-19: A Prayer for Protection
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. And as always, my deepest heartfelt appreciation goes out to you for sharing this post with your social media family. Thank you!
My friend Carol has written a powerful, Scriptural prayer guide. I hope you will support her and get your copy on Amazon today! When you need help praying or simply want to pray more, “Petitions From My Heart,” will bless your life!
“How quickly we forget the power that’s running through our veins… the kind of power that EMPTIES graves! Oh my soul, remember Who you’re talking to! The only One who death bows to…” My friend, He’s not finished yet!
Sharing Is Caring! ♥ Thank You!
