The air smells like sugar and cinnamon as I walk into my favorite bakery. I’m here for a pie-making class and nervous about this new undertaking. (I once made ciabatta bread that turned out so badly my dog, who gleefully eats unspeakable things in the backyard, spit it out on the kitchen floor.)
But my friend Melissa is the head baker here and she has promised to walk me through the process. So I stand with my classmates around a long wooden table. We’re each given a large silver bowl for mixing our ingredients. I add butter, shortening (the combination of both is the secret, Melissa says), salt, flour, and water a little bit at a time. I work the dough with my fingers.
Melissa comes behind me to check my progress. She adds a little of this and that, then works with the dough again. “There,” she says, “just right.”
I think of this incident over a year later in an entirely different situation. I need to make an important decision and have no idea what to do. I worry, again, that I will somehow mess everything up. As I pray, my heart has a realization. I don’t have to get everything right because I serve a God who makes everything right in the end.
When I try to get everything right, I become paralyzed by fear. I live in a state of self-criticism. I worry about every detail and carry the weight of the outcome on my shoulders. But God never asks this of us. He asks us, as Melissa did, to step up to the table. To get our hands dirty. To try our best and trust that He can, and will, take care of the rest.
Melissa didn’t expect us to become expert pie-makers in an evening. What she asked of us was to trust her, to try to follow what she told us, and to let her come alongside us in the process. She could deal with whatever we did to our dough.
The Apostle Paul said, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). “All things” includes our mistakes, our imperfect efforts, our guesses when we’re not sure what to do. But before God can work in all things we have to give Him something to work with, which means not letting fear stop us from even trying.
Jill Churchill said, “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” I think that applies to every area of our lives. There’s no way to be a perfect friend and a million ways to be a good one. There’s no way to be a perfect leader and a million ways to be a good one. There’s no way to make a perfect pie crust and a million ways to make a good one.
Take courage, keep trying. What you’re doing is enough. You don’t have to get everything right because we serve a God who makes all things right in the end.
MORE FOR YOU
Two free downloads and gift ideas: I’m still practicing getting my pie crust right, along with many other things in life, but I’m grateful for grace and passionate about helping women know they are loved in every moment. If you’re looking for gifts for loved ones this Christmas, here are two suggestions (and two gifts for you!).
- In today’s chaotic world, we need little moments of calm. If you or someone you love is struggling with worry, anxiety, or stress, or if you aren’t sure what to give a friend who is going through a challenging time, my newest devotional might be just the thing. Prayers for Peace of Mind is a collection of 100 prayers, Scriptures, and encouragement. Read a free excerpt here.
- 365 Truths for Every Woman’s Heart is for every single woman on your Christmas list. In just five minutes a day, you (or a friend!) can strengthen your heart, deepen your faith, and remind yourself of what matters most. Read a free excerpt here.
Encouragement and a prayer: Every week on the More than Small Talk podcast, we release a longer Thursday episode and a 2-4 minute Friday episode with a short word of encouragement. Last Thursday we talked about what works well and what makes things worse in our closest relationships, and on Friday I shared a three-sentence prayer for when you’re worried about your people. If you sometimes get stuck wondering what you could have done to make a situation turn out like you hoped, or you worry you aren’t doing enough for your loved ones, listen in.
