Dear Meghan (and her fellow perfect wannabees),

Aren't you tired? All this pressure on yourself to be perfect in every aspect of your life... isn't it getting old? I know it's just like second nature to push and push and strive for that glittering platform of perfection. But can I say something kinda bold? I think you obviously need to hear it because it doesn't seem like it's sunk in...

There is no possible perfection in anything you do, say, feel, or think in this world.

None at all.

You've been fooling yourself for awhile now. And I know it's going to be hard to make a switch, but, just for a little bit, can we explore the other side of this? I think your back is going to feel a lot lighter, your head a lot clearer, and your heart a lot freer.

Meghan, you are a flawed human being. God, however, is perfect. There's a pretty large gap between Him and you. Why do you feel this need to close the gap? You cannot be God. I know you know that. You're not consciously trying to be God, but you just keep fighting your humanness. It's the ultimate feeling of being uncomfortable in your own skin and it's the urge to perform. The need to feel like Superwoman. Maybe that's it- you've been watching too much TV? I don't know. But Superwoman is fictional, and Meghan is real.

It stinks when you mess up. While "messing up" is sometimes avoidable, it's a part of this world. Ever since Adam, Eve, and the apple, we've been plagued with mess-up after mess-up. Not all the mistakes you make are sins, but you treat them that way: that one bad grade leaves you at war against yourself for days. That one embarrassing thing you said keeps you reeling for hours. If you focus on the Adam and Eve story, then yes, you should be humiliated that you are this imperfect wretch that just can't be the person God (and all the other people you want to be perfect for) deserves. But do you remember another story? It involves a cross. And a whole lot of grace.

Grace is what saves you from the sins and the mess-ups and the shame. It's the thing that God uses to say, "My child, I know you can't be perfect. Leave that to me, please. You are enough."

You are enough.

Please remember that, Meghan and all you others: you are enough. Just like there's no changing your humanness, there's no changing God's grace. There's no changing the fact that He wants you and uses you just as you are. Even Satan himself struggled with knowing his place in God's world. He couldn't recognize the joy there was in being used by God. But there is definitely joy and a plan in our humanness. So let's embrace that imperfect identity and work with our Creator to be the best we can be!

Sincerely,

Someone who knows this is going to be a lot easier typed then done, but will be worth it in the end :)