“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
All eyes were on me…..and not in a good way. I was trying to do an everyday task, like opening a door and walking through it but I bungled it up pretty good. I had been gifted money for a pedicure and like a broke girl on payday I was excited to cash that puppy in! I opened the door to the nail salon and in my excitement for all things pamper, misjudged where my feet were. Mid-swing, I slammed the door into my foot as I was already in motion to walk through and stumbled through the entrance. To add mess to my madness the door had a set of live jingle bells on it to announce when someone was entering…..my arrival sounded like Santa was cuing things up for a Christmas concert in the middle of June. The icing on the embarrassment-cake was the salon was a packed house including Grandma on her phone….she stopped talking, two Chatty Cathi’s who stopped chatting, and I’m pretty sure a former beauty queen turned mean-girl who glared at me like my very existence made her want toss her cookies. Eyeballs slid from right to left as everyone watched me try to laugh off my faux-pas of an entrance, and then play it cool as I took my seat. As the blush receded from my face back down to my toes, something inside of me tried my best not to wilt. It’s just not easy to make mistakes, to stumble-fumble and to feel like all eyes are on you when you do. Imperfection isn’t always easy to embrace.
What is it about weakness that makes us want to resist it? Does everyone else do everything perfectly? Where is the grace to make mistakes?
When I thought about this incident a few days later, I kept thinking about the above passage from 2 Corinthians 12…..and the plethora of applications it holds for us. Here’s a few:
1- When we sin, it is God’s grace that draws us back to him. It’s his power that meets us when we are weak and it is him who gives us the grace to overcome our weakness. Allowing his power to be manifested in us, and relying on the Holy Spirit is what helps us to overcome whatever opposes us whether it is sin, challenges, difficulties or simply being human.
2- Acknowledging, accepting and even boasting in our weakness means that we embrace our humanity and need for Jesus. He steps in and shines where we are weak, where we lack and where we are broken. Embracing our weakness, is actually just the doorway to embracing him walking through to save the day and save us too. Fun fact: Jesus is better at walking through doorways than I am, he can even handle walls. What a guy!
3- When we mess up, stumble (through life, doorways etc) or do things imperfectly there is grace for us. Not just a little, but sufficient grace. Sufficient grace means that Jesus, not our best efforts is enough.
The truth is, I can’t think of an area in life where imperfections don’t touch, can you?
I’m an imperfect artist.
I’m an imperfect friend.
I’m an imperfect creative.
I’m an imperfect wife.
I’m an imperfect…….fill in the blank
But here’s where the plot twist fumble-bumble takes a turn. If there isn’t an area that isn’t touched by our imperfection, there isn’t an area that his grace can’t reach us.
His grace is enough for any area of life that we work in.
His grace is enough for our art, and our creativity.
His grace is enough for our friendships, and relationships.
And his grace is enough for every crack, crevice and brokenness we face.
Our imperfection is actually and invitation to turn our gaze, lock eyes and look to the only one who is perfect, and who’s grace is sufficient enough to meet us where we falter & fail.
Imperfections can actually prompt us to rely more fully on Jesus.
And that opportunity, my friends, is actually pretty perfect.
Much love,
Joy