We are perfectly flawed

It has become a habit that I listen to a Susan Sparks' podcast when I have had a bad day or need a new perspective. I just pull up the page and pick one at random. The one I picked today really struck a cord with me and something I needed to hear. Here, take a minute to listen to it. 

I have touched on this subject a few times before, but like I said, it was something I just needed to hear, so probably something I need to write about too. 

Humans are flawed. We can't help it. We make mistakes, take wrong turns, and just plain fail. We also struggle, although struggles and mistakes are too different things but I'll get to that in a minute. First, lets talk about mistakes. I think there are two basic approaches to  mistakes. The first way is dwelling  on it, over think , and worry about it.  That mistake becomes such a focal point, that we can't see past it or figure out how to move on. This is my preferred method. If worrying about past mistakes was an Olympic sport, I could take the Gold, easy. Then the second approach to a mistake is to write it off, sweep it under the rug, and just pretend it didn't happen at all. We ignore the mistake and often end up doing the same thing again because we refuse to acknowledge it has happened. 

Isn't there some kind of middle ground? Humans are flawed beings but for some reason we try to pretend that we are not. We get it in our heads that we can't be flawed... but why? Mistakes will happen, its just part of life. And the logical thing would be to reflect on the situation, learn from it, and then move on. And I know, that is SOOO much easier to say than to actually do. It is an art I am far from mastering. But we are told we have to be perfect and are scrutinized when we miss the mark. I have a friend that keeps telling me to show myself grace but that is hard to do. Yes, its hard, but it is  what we need to do--show ourselves and others some grace and realize (and maybe even embrace) that we are perfectly flawed and God loves us. Period. 

Along with being flawed, we also struggle. Its how you know you are human. Unfortunately , I think struggle and mistake get grouped in the same category. We already think we ca't make mistakes and because struggle and mistake have been lumped together, we think it is wrong to struggle. Although they are two separate categories, they have  similar approaches --we can over think our struggles or ignore them all together until they erupt. I do not like to struggle but hear me when I say it is okay to struggle. And it is also okay to make mistakes--that doesn't mean we have a get out of jail free card or can sit with our struggle without taking steps to move forward-- but  its part of being human! 

In her sermon, Susan talks about "its the trying that counts." We need to try to avoid mistakes but we also need to try to give our self some grace and learn from the mistakes we do make. When we are struggling, we need to try to take even small steps to move forward.

 I know I sounds like I have lots of words of wisdom, but it is so easy to type this out in a nice little blog, but trust me when I say I do not take my own advice well.