Chasing the Impossible

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Perfection: It’s impossible for us mere mortals to achieve, but oh how much energy and effort we waste trying to achieve it!  Read any local paper and you can see the signs of it.  Kids across this county face the challenge every day to have perfect grades, perfect games/races/matches on the fields and courts of competition, and perfect social circles.  And, if the pressures at school aren’t enough, when they go home at night, they’re expected to have perfectly funny Tweets, perfectly interesting Snapchat stories, and the perfect amount of likes on their Instagram posts.  They must also make sure to keep that ratio of followers on Twitter/Instagram to those they follow in check.  Because if you follow more people than follow you back, it’s super uncool. 
Seriously!  Who made up these rules?!  And middle and high school kids these days subscribe to these ridiculously arbitrary standards like it’s normal!  Not only that, but far too many of them are literally killing themselves trying to do it.  I thank God all the time that social media did not exist when I was in middle and high school.  I struggled enough with insecurities at school and I am so incredibly grateful that those same peer issues didn’t follow me home because I’m not sure I would have survived my teen years if they had. 
This morning as I spent time in God’s word I was so encouraged by Psalm 62:7-8.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to Him,
    for God is our refuge.
How reassuring it is to know that my salvation and honor do not depend on my own abilities to achieve impossible standards set by our crazy world!  And, as November tends to be a month during which we focus on thankfulness, I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunity I have to go into schools each day and share this truth with teenagers.  Instead of having goals of perfect SAT scores and track meets (for students) or perfect Pinterest-worthy weddings and home décor (for adults) let’s set goals of trusting at all times in this perfect God and pouring our hearts out to the One who is our perfect refuge.  We will never be able to achieve perfection in this life, but our salvation and honor depends on an unchanging, eternal, perfect God.  Hallelujah and Amen!

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