There I stood, glaring down at my bathroom sink thinking what a loser I am (not the best way to close out the first day of the New Year). Isn’t the first day of the New Year suppose to be perfect? This day, January 1, is way ahead of those days we struggle through to only finally fizzle completely out when we encounter an especially crappy day (somewhere around January 11th). All of those hopes of perfection in the New Year – down the drain. It was the “perfect” January 1, and I had already blown my aspirations for perfection for the whole New Year.
I once read that there was a theologian who specialized in biblical timetables who suggested that Adam and Eve, in their perfect setup, probably only lasted 17 days before the encounter with the fruit episode. Well, being the “overachiever” that I am, I nailed it day one! How can anyone mess up on January 1??? Typically, most of us are at home all day. We are still languishing in holiday cheer. We are refreshed and ready to take charge in the New Year! I had my scriptures ready and my plan nailed down; what could go wrong?
Then came an email with a sweet request for my assistance. Of course, I quickly responded like a superhero. Then I got the email back. The problem was not what she wrote back, but what I could not believe I had said in the original email to her. It was basically a back-handed compliment. I don’t know why I said what I said! What was I thinking and why did I write that? I almost would have believed that I had been hacked and the victim of a cruel joke. Well, it wasn’t really that bad, but I was embarrassed about my comment. I hate that; I really hate that feeling I get when I do something stupid and left to wonder if I offended any of the witnesses to my stupidity. But there I was, with a new issue to be concerned about on January 1. My mouth, my mouth, my mouth…AARGH!
As I stood there, dismayed in my bathroom, I felt the sweet Lord speak to me. In essence, that small, still voice reminded me that I am not called to be perfect, but I am expected to recover well from my snafu’s. I immediatley knew that I must speak with my friend, and apologize if I was offensive. I don’t think I offended her, but God does not want me to give any foothold for the enemy to use against either one of us. I am going to do the right thing and that is all I can do. That is really what perfection is all about – dealing with our imperfections. I am never going to be perfect this side of Heaven, but I am going to be open to God’s perfecting process while on this earth! Once I took on this mindset, I was immediately set free from humiliation, and peace & joy began to flood my soul. Only God, can take a concerning moment, speak to it, and leave you excited to have the opportunity to correct it. How does He do it?!
So, if you are off to a rocky start in your New Year, remember – it is not about being perfect, but about recovering well when you are imperfect! I don’t know about you, but it looks like I will get plenty of practice. Happy New Year!
~gina
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