We can get into ruts, continuing to act and do as we’ve always done. We may harbor negative thoughts, make poor choices, and fail to make adjustments when we find ourselves in a mess. If you realize this has happened, how do you react? Do you struggle with being imperfect and view yourself negatively? Or are you able to forgive yourself and move on? If you’re like many people, you may take on an unhealthy self-image, fall back into a repetitive rut, decide change is too difficult, and just give up.

Despite our human tendency to give up, be encouraged by this amazing truth: even though we are imperfect and make mistakes along our earthly journey of development, God NEVER gives up on us! God made each of us with a heavenly purpose. He loves us, and has great intentions for each of His offspring.

God’s love for us has no limitations or boundaries. Love is more than what God does, love is who He is. His love directs every expression of His heart, even when we fail to recognize it.

Love is more than what God does, love is who He is.

We can primarily see God as a loving Father that entices us to receive His care or we can visualize Him as a Judge who forces our obedience through instilling in us a fear of punishment. The perception of God that dominates our understanding affects how we act. What we believe does matter!

Seeing God as Loving Father

What do you believe about God? Do you see Him as a loving Father and welcome His Presence? Or do you perceive Him as a distant Presence to be feared? Do you believe He forgives you when you make a mistake, and wants you to successfully improve and become mature expressions of His loving nature?

The remarkable reality is: Your heavenly Father loves you dearly and made YOU (all of us) with a heavenly purpose! All of creation reflects something of God’s glory; however, as His offspring we are uniquely made to manifest more of His personhood and nature.

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26).

God said He intends for each of us to grow and develop into His image and likeness. Rather than turn away because He sees our flawed nature, He invites us into a relational fellowship with Him, where we partake of His insightful guidance. It doesn’t matter that we are imperfect; He is continually seeking to interact with His kids, with YOU!

When we are receptive, we learn more about God and understand His intention for our life. We are filled with a deeper and more meaningful purpose. And, as maturing children, we progressively become what God intends us to be.

Wanting to “Do it My Way”

Our heavenly Father’s knowledge and love for us are perfect. Sometimes we don’t believe this; and choose to ignore His instructions as did our first parents, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Their decision produced in them, and consequently in humanity, a predominant separatist perception. This attitude tends to keep us wanting to “do it my way” instead of His way.

Our decisions to discount God’s instruction open our eyes to see differently than He intends. The sin nature we all inherit is really a result of our life apart from God’s presence. As with Adam and Eve, our choices to ignore God and decide for ourselves put us at odds with our heavenly Father and His purposes for our life.

God simply won’t give up on us.

And yet, God so loves His offspring that He goes to all lengths to save us from our wayward selves. He simply won’t give up on us. Instead, God’s way of salvation transforms us, and releases us from the deceptive temptation to ignore Him and His purposes for our life. Without God in our lives, we tend to squander what He has given us.

Restored and Shaped Into God’s Healthier Way

Our heavenly Father has openly demonstrated His continual love and care for us in the life of Christ. Now He beckons us to respond and come out of our wayward separation into the fellowship of His guiding Presence.

Jesus said, “It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.” (John 6:45).

Our Father invites each of us to be restored, taught, and shaped into His healthier way of living. Are you missing out on the fullness of His purpose for your life; perhaps not even realizing it? Is a focus on your imperfections keeping you from becoming all God intends you to be?

He isn’t giving up on you; so don’t give up on yourself. Stay in the process! Our imperfections are part of God’s plan to mold us into more accurate reflections and resemblances of His heart of love. If you find yourself weary from struggling with mistakes, be assured of His promise to provide peaceful rest for our soul:

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).

Forgiveness and Escape From Old Ways

Understanding God’s forgiveness is important. His forgiving nature is what motivates Him to forgive. As we understand how God forgives, it becomes a primary basis for how we live. Too often we overlook the fact that He sent Jesus Christ into the world as a representation of His love. He did this to reveal His forgiveness and show us that His forgiving love is sufficient for each of us.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Forgiveness is an extension of His heart of love, God’s non-condemning invitation for us to repent and partake of His insightful fellowship. Forgiveness is God’s open invitation for us to escape from our old ways. He freely offers an escape into salvation’s transforming way of life.

Admitting Our Need to Adjust Our Attitudes and Actions

While often perceived negatively, “repentance” simply means asking for God’s help and admitting our need to adjust our attitude and actions.  Our heartfelt repentance invites God’s compassionate mercy and enabling grace. In turn, we experience an internal and external metamorphosis as we change what we think, believe, desire, and do.

Humbly setting our hearts right before God and one another allows Him to remove any guilt, anger, or bitterness we have been carrying – toward others and ourselves. Accepting responsibility, admitting error, and humbly repenting cuts through any restrictive pride in us. God’s favor will be upon our efforts to change; releasing us into the fellowship of His Presence and a life of peaceful rest from the strife, anxieties, and discord.

Through Christ’s anointing Presence, we transform our imperfect life, day by day, into God’s heavenly purpose. More than inheritors of “someday;” in Christ’s fellowship, we can receive His eternal perspective and actually partake of an eternal quality of life every day. Beginning today, we can be victorious; no longer residing in our rut!

Keith Carroll, Relational Gospel Founder

Resources to help

Do you struggle with being imperfect? Created To Relate, Insights Into Our Design and Purpose. Do you struggle with being imperfect? The Christ Culture, A Way of Life Like No Other
We share resources about our relational God here on our website. Both of my books, Created to Relate, Insights Into Our Design and Purpose, and The Christ Culture, A Way of Life Like No Other are available for your devotional read, and for purchase in printed or eBooks.

Many folks are finding my books to be insightful reads, excellent for personal understanding and to share in small groups. We provide a Leader’s Guide to facilitate discussions.

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