The "Only One" Lie

Living life normal, day to day, smile on my face, but I thought I was the only one. Surely, no one else was like me.

courtesy of Flickr: here

No one was as ugly on the inside. Love comes easy to everyone but me, right?  Thoughts so unloving from a Christian? I am the only one. Compassion is the identifying marker of all Christ followers. I fail.

Been there?

Oh the lies. You are not the only one. I am not the only one. As believers in Jesus Christ, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. Reality check for us all: the pressure is not for us. His shoulders can stand the pressure. Our poor little shoulders cave with the weight of our inabilities.

Grace.

No, our hearts should not stay ugly. Compassion should mark our lives as Christians. Read 1 Corinthians 13, and then try to dispute loving others. It's no time to get lazy, ladies and gents. However, it is time to put down the "try hard" life.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).

My struggle is probably different from many of your own struggles, while so many others of you will feel like I'm telling your story. It's the brotherhood/sisterhood of humanity. We are humans saved by amazing Grace- a Grace that makes us better than we will ever be on our own. This grace leaves us hungry for perfection, ever reaching, never gaining, dependent. Though our struggles vary I believe we all struggle with deflating the "Only One" lie.

Do not stay there. You are not the only one. You do not have to save yourself. You can not make yourself better. Sure, we work toward that aim, but we must realize we are ever dependent on His Grace.

This girl is still learning, and praying the words from my own finger tips will settle into my own heart.

In His Name,

Jennifer