Bible Verse: Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. Lamentations 3:21–25
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:5-6; Psalm 136:1; 2 Samuel 11; Jonah 1:1-3; 1 Kings 19:1-8; Luke 22:54-62; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Psalm 51
Authenticity does not equal perfection. Authenticity allows us to be real before God and people even though we are far from perfect. There will always be areas in our lives still under construction and times that we sin. We must be quick to repent and recover because God has not given up on us, even on our worst day.
Real people in the Bible who didn’t hide their imperfections:
- King David committed adultery with another man’s wife, then had the man sent to the frontlines of battle to have him killed.
- Jonah the prophet was directed by God to preach to the wicked city of Nineveh, but he disobeyed. Jonah ran in the opposite direction from what God told him to do.
- Elijah the prophet went through a time of discouragement while on the run from the wicked queen Jezebel. He was so depressed that he wanted to give up altogether.
- Peter boasted to Jesus that he would never betray Him; however, after Jesus’ arrest, Peter publicly denied that he knew Jesus three times.
- Paul struggled with what he called a “thorn in the flesh” and constant persecution from individuals, mobs, and synagogue leaders opposed to the Gospel.
One thing these men all had in common was an honest humanity – they knew God but had not arrived at perfection. God still transformed them and used them. When they sinned, God called them to repent so He could restore them. King David took responsibility for the terrible sin he committed and had his prayer of repentance recorded (Psalm 51) for future generations to read and learn from his cautionary tale. No hiding here. These were real men with real mistakes, real struggles, and sometimes real sins, but God still helped them, even on their worst days.
Rediscover the compassion and goodness of God for yourself the next time you mess up. Own what you did before God, then own it with the people you affected. Authentic Christianity can handle imperfections; in fact, it assumes they are there and that God can restore them.
Prayer: Father, I want to be honest before You and people. I admit that I am not perfect, and there is still work to be done in me, but I choose to confront my issues and sins and not hide them. Show me Your mercy and compassion, and help me to repent and recover quickly. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Reflection: Do you feel like Christianity requires too high a bar for you to reach? Has your own demand for perfection made you give up trying to involve God in your life? Rethink how you see authenticity. God wants you to be real, and He made you human. He can handle it, so let Him.
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