Pursuing Truth in the Messiah

I wanted to write another post to follow up on my "Mercy" post. It's a big deal to wrap your head around the fact that you're not perfect.  And different people have found different ways of coping with this concept. Option 1: Oh, yes, I am!!!      These people stubbornly fight against all evidence to the contrary, maintaining against all odds the self-dictated concept that their perfection is still in place. Option 2: You know what?  I'm not perfect and that's okay.      These people have decided to stop fighting their flaws and to slump into whatever imperfections plague them.  In the name of acceptance and accepting yourself and loving yourself, they've decided to  embrace their identity of imperfection. Option 3: He made a Way      These people don't give up. Their whole lives are directed in a God-fearing direction.  Their attention is on Him.  They study His Word.  They copy His Ways.  T...

As I  mentioned in the previous post, I had a rough month. You know what made it even worse? It was partly my fault. That may sound weird, but I'm guessing some of you out there understand exactly what I mean.  Dealing with a catastrophe that was not your fault is completely different than dealing with one in which the blame lies squarely on your shoulders.  Especially if you're the sort of person who likes to exceed everyone's expectations and who identifies yourself as someone who doesn't make mistakes. Imagine...a car wreck.  In which you were not at fault.  Someone swerved into your lane.  You did heroics and managed to keep the wreck from being as bad as it could have been (thanks to your awesome driving skills), but, alas, your car was totally wrecked. It's easy to pray then. God, help me.  Restore what was wrongfully stolen from me.  Redeem me from my enemies.  Bless me, for I am aligned with you. Now imagine the same sce...