FALLING SHORT

I'm writing for  Five Minute Friday and this week's prompt word is SHORT. 

Don’t prove your worth - protect it.  I read that today and it really spoke to me.  

I’ve spent my life trying to prove my worth and wanting others to affirm it – in words or actions.  

And I’ve spent my life falling short of the standards of others, even those close to me, and even my own standards. 

What I’ve realised in recent times, and had it confirmed again today, is that we can spend our lives aiming to reach up to someone else’s standards of perfect, lovable, worthy, adequate - and we can spend our lives consistently falling short.  

We can spend our lives striving to reach our own standard of perfect, lovable, worthy, adequate, and consistently fall short of that standard too.

We’re not called to do that.  

We’re often taught to do it, conditioned to do it, rewarded for doing it, but we’re not called to do it. 

We’re called to be His – from Him, to Him, for Him, with Him.    

For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.  Rom 11:36

My worth is innate, inherent, decided, as someone made in the image of God, and redeemed by the blood of Jesus. 

My worth is not decided by any human, including myself. 

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.  Ps 139:14

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Luke 12:7

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light….. 1 Peter 2:9

So, am I living to achieve worth and prove it, or am I living to protect it and honour the One who decided it?

So many of us who’ve grown up in church have been taught and conditioned to be perfect and to strive for perfection, but in doing so, we’ve missed the mark, and we’ve fallen short of His desire for us. 

What’s His desire for us?   It’s wholeheartedness, being all in, for Him, to Him, from Him, with Him - not aiming for some standard that falls short of that.   It’s excellence, not perfection.  

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’   Matt 22:37

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Eph 2:10

It’s in being all that we could be, designed to be, with all excellence, that gives glory to Him.  

When we settle for someone else’s standards, or even our own, we fall short of what He has for us.   He wants us to work from rest, not work for rest.  

I’ve spent my life trying to earn my rest, when in fact, rest is a gift, not a reward.   

We can rest in His finished work on the cross that has affirmed our worth.  

We can rest in Him being enough and that His load fits us perfectly.   

We can rest in the rhythms of grace He gives us, even as we work. 

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”   Matt 11:28-30 (MSG)

Anything else has us striving, stressed, worn out and still falling short. 

Like Martha, we can be productive, exhausted and resentful with all our striving and working and trying, and miss the very One in front of us, who is waiting for us to sit at His feet. 

Can we rest at His feet, like Mary, and be satisfied with His standard for us – a life fully given over to Him - or will we keep falling short of that much higher calling, in all our striving, and miss Him?

https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/gnpi-065-mary-martha/

His standard for us is to be fully alive and to live abundantly.

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  John 10:10

His standard for us is a whole-hearted life, fully given over, fully surrendered.

His standard for us is to be all in, worshipping Him, delighting in Him, satisfied by Him – not stuff, not success, not money, not productivity, not others.

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.  Ps 16:11

Are we living up to His standards, or are we falling short of His by aiming for our own or someone else’s?

 

When I need to remind myself that it's all about Him, I come back to this song.   

You are worthy of it all
You are worthy of it all
For from You are all things
And to You are all things
You deserve the glory