Seduction

This word rings different bells in each of our heads. However, for me I am learning the things that I am seduced by. Seduction isn’t merely a woman seducing a man. We are seduced by many things, media, music, books, TV, stories, products, shoes, purses, and technology. The list could go on. We are seduced. It is up to us whether or not we choose to acknowledge that and if we are willing to look at what we are seduced by. I am realizing that my greatest seduction is perfection, everything being right. I am constantly seduced by the concept of everything being perfect, my life, my hair, my makeup, the things I do, my school work, ministry, the way I set things up, the way I write things, how I talk, how I present myself, how I help people. I am seduced by this thing called perfectionism. It looks beautiful, fulfilling, meaningful and wonderful from a distance. However, once you buy into the lie. It is like poison. It runs through your veins in a vicious way, devouring every ounce of grace in your life. You become consumed by everything needing to be perfect. I am addicted to the chase of perfection. It is an exhausting, draining and never-ending chase. It may not kill you physically, but emotionally and spiritually it begins to kill you slowly. It eats away at your joy, your hope, your freedom, the gift of life that we have each and every day, the mercies of the Lord that are new with each day, the grace God gives us and it takes away from the fact that the only perfect part of life is God. He is a perfect God. We are not perfect and He does not call us to perfection. Yes, He calls us to strive with all that we have to serve and glorify Him, but not perfectly, simply whole-heartedly. I am learning that when I try to make everything perfect I short change my God. I tell Him that He is not needed, that I am in control and that I can do it all perfectly. Instead of leaving me and walking away from me, He gently waits. He waits to help me, to mend the broken pieces that I create in my crazy addiction of achieving perfection. He gently reminds me that it is in my imperfection that He shines through and is seen as the perfect and loving God, that in my weakness He is made strong. That is a hard concept for me. I don’t like to think of myself as weak. That word defines something that our culture, our peers, our families, they all tell us it is not okay. We are told to be strong, to hang in there, to keep fighting, to keep going. However, I believe it is ok for us to stop in our moment of brokenness, of hurt, of betrayal, of sin, of weakness, to stop being strong and to allow Him to be made strong, allow Him and all His grace, redemption and mercy to shine through. I am learning that there is no other way to face life than allowing our God to be strong, to be our strength, because it is that strength that speaks loudly to the world because it is incomprehensible.

So today, I don’t know what you are seduced by, there are many things for each of us and perfection is only one of mine, but it is a HUGE one, it is the one that I am having to surrender in prayer not every day, but throughout the day, because it is there lingering in everything I do. My hope is that we can be honest with ourselves and with the people in our lives that we trust and love. That we can share what seduces us, what entices us, because when we realize and acknowledge what it is we can begin to seek freedom, freedom in Christ, freedom to be weak so that God can be who He is, strong and mighty, just and loving, forgiving and restoring.