Perfect = mature

The Lord is teaching me so much lately. As I "step out to find out," as Joyce Meyer says, He is faithful to ultimately make clear His best way for me. As we make decisions that may "feel" right, sometimes we step out into those decisions and only realize afterwards that they were not God's best for us. So we just cross that thing off the list and move on! I don't see them as mistakes any more but as all a part of the process of following Jesus. None of us has 100% perfect radar when yielding to the Holy Spirit; none of us hears perfectly all the time. And that's ok. Jesus knows that we want His will and that we seek Him in order to know His will and do it. If we are in any sort of danger in a decision, He will most assuredly check our spirits and let us know. But sometimes, we need to learn what is not the best in order to move toward what is His best for us. Two steps ahead, one back is what I always say! That's a hard pill to swallow for us perfectionists who tend to be hard on ourselves. But when Jesus said, "Be perfect as I am perfect," (Matthew 5:48) the translation for perfect is mature. He simply wants us to grow up in Him. A perfect piece of fruit is mature - not under or overripe. Jesus is not talking about some impossible standard of perfection - He left that to the Pharrissees (who, of course, never reached it).

So go on and step out to find out if you are questioning the next move in your life. Think of it as when you watch your child try new things - you know you must let him or her try things in order to grow. Let's mature as Christ was mature in all things! He is our proud Parent!