7 Days After Getting SavedSample

PROGRESSION OVER PERFECTION

Living a life with Jesus does not mean life automatically gets easier and you suddenly become perfect. We are human and we continue to make mistakes along our journey even when we are following God. The good news is God knows we are not perfect, and He loves us despite our imperfections. If we could be perfect we wouldn't need Jesus. Jesus is the only one who is without sin. A life submitted to walking with Jesus is about PROGRESSION, not PERFECTION. Intimacy with God is about being in His presence. Once you surrender your heart, He will work on your habits. There are countless stories in the Bible about how God uses imperfect people to get His message and His love to others.

Jesus chose regular people as His disciples. They were not powerful men or people who came from high-status, religious, or academic backgrounds. They were imperfect. We see Peter’s journey of progression over perfection in the Bible as he denies Jesus, and then is later reunited with his risen savior. Jesus never stops loving him, despite his shortcomings. Peter then goes on to spread the gospel throughout the world and is powerfully used by God. When we focus on spending time in God’s presence and in His Word, our hearts are transformed. As we continue to grow we are called to spread God’s love to others. The most important thing to remember is that God loves you exactly where you are and desires to continue to grow in relationship with you!

Application/Reflection Questions:

• How do you enjoy spending time with God?
• What is God speaking to you about progression over perfection?
• How is your relationship with God progressing as you spend time with Him?

Prayer: God, thank You for loving me right where I am at. Thank You, that You also love me enough not to leave me here. Please guide me as I seek to progress in my life, rather than striving for perfection. I am thankful that Your grace is sufficient for my mistakes. I repent of my sin, and I pray that I am quick to return to Your throne of grace when I stumble. Remind me that my worth is not found in how perfect I am, but in the fact that I am Your beloved. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.