What you Need to Know About Your Work-in-Progress Status

I’m not sure about you, but lately our family schedule has been quite hectic. My husband has been busy with ministry needs during the day, and then working a full shift in the evening to provide for our family. Meanwhile, I’m working from home while the kids are at school, then filling the role of soccer mom nearly every night.

We’re weary and longing for rest.

How about you, friend, has this week left you with some frayed edges?

The biggest problem isn’t my hectic schedule, though. No – the biggest problem is that when my schedule is crazy, my perfectionism and need to control kicks into overdrive. I’m tempted to think if I just work harder and longer, then I can keep myself afloat. If I just do everything right….

The problem is that I’m not perfect, and neither are you. No matter how hard we try, we’re bound to fail at something along the way.

And fail, I have.

I’ve been a grumpy mama and a distracted wife. I’ve offended others in my haste and frustration. I’ve neglected to connect to the only Power Source who can really keep me going in the tough times. I’ve been trying way too hard to do something I cannot possibly do on my own, and boy, is it painful!

Why do we do this to ourselves, my sisters in Christ? Why do expect the impossible rather than resting in what we already know to be true?

We are works in progress, you and I.

Perfection isn’t possible, not by a mile, but progress surely is!

What might happen if instead of tightening my grip on control and perfection, I loosened it in favor of allowing my Savior to do the hard work I can’t possibly do on my own?

Here’s what you need to know about your work-in-progress status:

• You are no longer a slave to sin and self because you have been made new. You now have a choice whether to hold onto the old self or the embrace your new work-in-progress status. What you choose defines how you survive those tough times.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

• You can never in this lifetime be good enough on your own, but take heart – Jesus already paid the price for you. Now, there is no more condemnation. When the enemy comes knocking with a list of all you should be “better” at, send him running with this truth from the Word!

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1 (NASB)

• You’re not finished yet. This truth makes my eyes sting every time I think about it because I know, I know, I know how flawed I am, yet how my soul yearns to be perfect. Someday, friends, someday we will struggle with these bodies of flesh no longer. Someday, we will be perfected in Christ. What does that mean for today? It means you can show yourself a little more grace, knowing that the work in you is not yet complete! Wear that work-in-progress sash with pride because it’s only temporary. One day you’ll receive a permanent one that will read “Perfect. Complete.”

“[B]eing confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil. 1:6 (NIV)

Friends, I encourage you to provide yourself with daily reminders of your identity in Christ – that work-in-progress proof that protects you from a burden of discouragement.

What better way to handle the stress of living in this imperfect world than to start each day clinging tightly to such truths?

To help you remember, I’m pleased to offer you this free 8X10 printable available to all of my subscribers. Just print it out and hang it where you’ll see it most. (Don’t worry – you’ll be directed to the version without the watermark on it.)

I like to keep my reminders right by my bed so that I see them first thing when I wake up.

Remember who you are in Christ today!

Jen 🙂

 Copyright: maridav / 123RF Stock Photo