I recently picked up my phone in the middle of a wild week to text a friend about a lie that my heart kept hearing. Then I simply asked, “What’s the truth? I can’t come up with it right now.”
She wrote back and told me what I already knew deep inside but couldn’t quite recall in the moment. I read her words over and over, then got up with new strength to face the day.
Years ago I wouldn’t have sent that text. I would have tried to come up with the truth on my own. I would have given in to shame and guilt. I would have spent the day thinking about how everyone else was more spiritual than me and how I should try harder. But I’m learning this: it really is okay to call for backup.
Most of us know the story of the man lowered down through a roof by his friends so he could be laid at the feet of Jesus and find healing (see Mark 2:1–12). We all have days when our hearts, not our bodies, need the same thing.
We think if we can just muster up enough “faith,” then we should be able to get there ourselves. But that’s not the way it works. And, friend, when we refuse to let others help us, it’s not being spiritual . . . it’s pride. (Yeah, I don’t like hearing that either.)
We’re made to share life with each other. We’re made to say, “I need you. Please help me.” Those aren’t words of weakness—they’re the strongest words we can say. It’s easy to try to figure things out on our own. It’s much harder to say, “Please carry my heart to Jesus today.”
But you know what? The man who was healed that day wasn’t the only one who received a blessing. His friends did too because they got to be part of the work God was doing. We can give people in our lives that same opportunity when we stop trying to be perfect and instead simply let them love us.
XOXO
From You’re Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect
Would you like to subscribe by email?
*****
What fun company to be in!
Photo by the lovely Meghan McGuire.
Welcome to the Coffee for Your Heart weekly link-up! You’re an encourager so I’m asking you to pour out a little love with your words every Wednesday {link-up goes live at 5:30am CST}. Simply write an encouraging blog post and then share it here. Don’t have a blog? You can still write an encouraging comment. If you’re reading this by email, go to holleygerth.com to see all the fun and join in too.
Giveaway and Optional Writing Prompt: For the next few weeks, the Wednesday posts are going to be about getting free from the pressure to be perfect. I’ll have an optional writing prompt for you about that topic. If you write about it, link up and include my new book You’re Loved No Matter What: Freeing Your Heart from the Need to Be Perfect in your post somewhere, you’ll be entered to win a God’s Heart for You necklace {U.S. residents only}. Thanks to DaySpring for providing the necklaces! Congratulations to Ronja Oksanen for winning last week! If you don’t have a blog, you can share today’s post on Facebook, leave a comment here saying you did and answer the prompt in your comment.
The prompt for today was: Where are you learning and finding freedom from perfection?
Next Wednesday’s prompt is: What truth do you need to be reminded of?
Pretty please use this button in your blog post so others can easily join in with us {html code in right sidebar}. And when you link up your post, take a moment to leave an encouraging comment on the one that’s linked up just before yours. Thanks, friends! 
{Click to tweet that you’re joining me here today!}
