High Standards, with Perspective

Where do we set the bar for ourselves? And does accepting and embracing God’s grace move the bar?

I know I’m not the only person who finds themselves feeling like our best just isn’t good enough, holding ourselves to a high standard that is sometimes unachievable or unrealistic.

I always find myself raising my hand and saying “yes” to volunteering when those around me are in need – in need of contributions, but more importantly and challenging, in need of time. I inevitably find myself stretched so thin, I’m beyond exhausted. And I realize that in some cases, the people who suffer when I’m over-extended are the ones I love the most: my family.

Over-extension generally starts with work. If we are employed full time, work demands more of our time than any other element in our lives. Given that reality, I’m sure you, like me, sometimes take on even more than what would be considered “full time.”

Next comes extracurricular events and activities that have a direct impact on our careers. Inarguably, those are important if we want to continue to succeed, grow our businesses and increase our sphere of relationships.

Then comes volunteerism. We all want and need to be involved in the betterment of our community, however that looks for each of us.

Then there’s our family. We want to pay close attention to our relationship with our spouse and ensure we’re thoughtful and attentive enough. Plus, we want to be fully present with our children.

And finally, we have our relationship with our Lord and Savior. But why is it that He falls at the end of our priority list sometimes? He shouldn’t. We know that as children of God, our first thought, our first wage, our first day of worship belongs to Him. If you’re like me, sometimes you fall short putting Him first. Instead, I prioritize that workout first thing in the morning. Or that email. Or just that five extra minutes to just breathe before the world starts to spin.

And if you’re like me, when you reflect, you feel so incredibly guilty like I do. I feel as though I have failed my Father. Gosh, I seem to look for ways every day in which I’ve failed Him.

But our God is a patient, graceful, forgiving and loving God. He knows that we will make mistakes. He knows that we will fall short. He knows that we will sometimes choose our worldly priorities over Him. But He loves us anyway.

Our relationships with our own children are similar. There are lots of good days when they meet our expectations. There are amazing days when they soar past them. And then there are days in which we are disappointed in how they prioritized, where they placed their emphasis, when they forgot something that was important to us, when they let us down. But not for one second do we love them any less. Would we not fight any and all to protect them? Is there one second when we wouldn’t welcome them into our heart and home. God feels the same about us. When we accept Him into our life as our Lord and Savior, and give our lives to Him, we are His. And He loves us more than we can ever know.

So, I say this as much for you as to hear it myself: Give yourself a little bit of grace. You’re running a hard, fast race with many complications and demands, and you’re doing your best. Stop for a moment and reflect on how much you are cherished and loved. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a reminder of God’s love for you, feel free to reach out to me. I’m happy to help you fill your days with reminders.