pulling yourself up

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Galatians 2:17-3:9. And in this selection, Paul reminds us that we shouldn't fall back into trying to make ourselves perfect by our own efforts.

He says that we've been set free by the Spirit of Christ, and we should not go back to trying to save ourselves by obeying the law. How does that apply to us today? I don't think you or I am (I know that sounds awkward, but it's grammatically correct... just trust me) trying to keep all of the tenets of the Old Testament Levitical law in order to save ourselves. But what ARE we doing that Paul is talking about?

We're trying to be perfect. We're not allowing ourselves to be sinful humans. To realize that we're going to make mistakes, and screw up, and need His help, throughout our entire lives. And the bigger problem this creates is that when we are trying so hard to be perfect ourselves, it makes us look down our noses at other people who are screwing up (like we are) because they remind us of our own weakness.

BUT.

When we learn to accept His grace and forgiveness (not just that one time when I was "saved" 30 years ago but every day), we are that much more likely to extend grace and forgiveness to those in our lives. To help THEM to become better versions of themselves, just like He is (daily) helping us to become better versions of ourselves.

So stop trying to lift yourself up by your bootstraps. Realize His grace is for you every day. And ask Him to make you the version of yourself that truly matters: the one He created you to be.

Thanks, God, for the daily reminder of our need for You.