Dear Momma, You Can Rejoice in Your Imperfections! {Imperfect Moms Day 45}

 

 

Dear Momma,

Today I want to share some of my imperfections with you.

I yell. A lot. Sometimes it seems that the only way that the boys will listen is if there is yelling involved.

I lose my patience easily.

I discipline out of anger.

I have a hard time apologizing.

Is it hard to admit these things to you? You had better believe it is! I want to give excuses for each and every one of those imperfections that I have listed. But I’m not going to today. Instead I’m going to hope that you, like me, are imperfect and that today we can offer each other support and encouragement. The season of littles is HARD.

Remembering how great God is can be hard when you are tired, the toddler is having his fifteenth meltdown over the same tractor trailer that won’t stay connected to the tractor, you haven’t been able to get in those much-needed minutes with Jesus, your coffee is cold, it feels like the house is never, ever clean and it is only 9:33 AM.

I deal with those frustrations by yelling and allowing my anger to control my actions. {Do you know how many talks I have had lately with my five-year old about controlling his anger lately…and then I go and lose my temper…}

Let’s think on this for a few minutes: maybe these trials are cause for rejoicing.

Maybe this point in time when we feel like we just can’t go on is the moment the Father will touch our kindergartener’s heart and bring them to an understanding that with Him we are lost and can do nothing.

Maybe by talking over our imperfections with our littles, by apologizing and sharing how we are working out our faith they will see how having Christ on our side, in us, helps us to be stronger and will eventually perfect us.

Here are four reasons that we need to rejoice in our imperfections:

1. Rejoice that you are aware of your imperfections.

The first step to fixing any problem is being aware that the problem exists. If you are aware of your imperfections than I would like to think that you have been allowing the Holy Spirit to have his way in your heart. He has been speaking to you about the issue and you have responded by accepting His nudging and are on the way to fixing, perfecting and refining your life.

The second step is making a plan to fix (perfect) the problem.
Problem: Admitting that I was wrong and then apologizing to the offended.
What are ways I can fix this problem? I can pray that the Holy Spirit would show me my error and give me courage to speak to the offended. I can ask people to hold me accountable and to pray for me. I can study scriptures that talk about admitting our errors and asking for forgiveness. I can start with admitting and confessing my sin to the Father more often and asking his forgiveness. Hopefully this will translate to my other relationships {my husband, children, family and friends} and I will begin to be more comfortable admitting my errors.

2. Rejoice in your imperfections – when you are weak that is when Christ’s power is made perfect.

By being honest with others about our imperfections they can see what Christ has done in our lives and how he is working now.

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 of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Paul is not giving us license to live in our weaknesses and imperfections, rather he is talking about his “thorn” and how he is using this weakness for Christ. As mommas it can be hard not to compare ourselves to the “perfect” mommas that we see on Facebook and Instagram. Their lives always seem to flow smoothly and when they do have bad things happen to them their problem seems to be fixed so quickly and their faith so strong. It can sometimes leave us depressed because we can’t do it all. We don’t have perfect lives and our faith doesn’t seem to be so strong.

What if we were honest about our imperfections like Paul? What if we shared our struggles with one another and then gave God all the glory when His power is made perfect in us? How would our lives change? How would our outlook change?

3. Rejoice in your imperfections – they are testing your faith.

One of my goals for the year was to memorize a 1 Peter – 3 John. That was a rather ambitious goal and one that will NOT be accomplished this year. I would like to finish memorizing the book of 1 Peter though. It quickly became one of my newest favorite books when I found these verses in the first chapter:

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while if, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith – more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. ~ 1 Peter 1:6-9

These things that make me imperfect, I consider them trials, because they aren’t who I really want to be. They are manifestations of the old man, not the new one that I want to be. But God can use these imperfections for His glory and honor. That encourages me, how about you?
Your imperfections are proving your genuine faith. They can be used to glorify God. They are testing you for a little while.

4. Rejoice in your imperfections – they are PERFECTING you.

God uses our time as mommas to show us our imperfections. Most of the time our children are the ones that will inadvertently point these out. As we work out these imperfections and rely on Christ’s strength to work in us we are being perfected. Our character is growing.

Count it all joy, my brothers {dear mommas}, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. ~ James 1:2-4

Dear imperfect momma, rejoice in your imperfections and give God all the glory when he works with his strong and mighty power through you.

About the Author, Rebekah: Married to my best friend since 2009. Momma to two handsome little men and one adorable, precious tiny boy who recently arrived (early). I’m hoping to be surviving toddlerhood for many more years. 🙂 I’m a cloth diapering, sometimes baby wearing, alternative medicine, real food, homeschooling lady. Website: Surviving Toddlerhood Social: Facebook, Pinterest.

How about you? Has God used your imperfections in a way that you can rejoice? Share with us!