But He Can

It's been a while since I've had to do laundry. I kind of had to do it in Berlin, but the hostel did it for us so I just had to fold, so I don't count that. It has been a little over two months since school ended, and more than that since I last did laundry. My roommate, Spencer, can probably attest to this the best, but when it comes to doing laundry, I am a snail trying to slide through a vat of molasses in January.

When it comes to putting clothes in and out of the machines, I'm fine. In fact, I would say I'm above average at that part. But then I bring the heaping basket of hot-to-handle clothes into my room and things start to derail. The time to fold clothes has arrived, and I shutter at the sight of wrinkled clothes that simply could not be worn in public, so I begin the arduous task of folding.

To say I am a perfectionist when it comes to folding clothes would be an understatement. I not only make sure every crease is smoothed out, but it often takes me multiple attempts to get the correct fold that pleases me. It usually takes me around an hour to fold the average load of laundry, a number that I wish to improve on. Folding laundry seems like a mountain that I may never be able to conquer, a task so daunting that it will break me down before I am able to reach my goal.

I think when it comes to my relationship with God I try to be a perfectionist as well. With laundry, it's possible for me to be perfect enough to satisfy even my high standards (even though it takes a while). There is a flaw though when it comes to my relationship with God and how I live my life: I can't be perfect. I know, shocker, right?

Going to Berlin this summer, I had expectations to come out of it truly changed, and I 100% think I have changed. While there, I received so much wisdom, stretched myself beyond what I thought possible, and lived in a more Godly way than I had been in the past. But I also thought that, coming home, I would be free from the temptations of sin.

Of course, I knew that I would still be sinful and sin, but I just thought that it would be easier to simply continue living like I was in Berlin. As I settled in and adjusted to being back home, I slowly but surely started to settle back into routine, into my old way of living where I was not spending quiet times in the Word every day, where I would quickly grow impatient with the stress that I had not been expecting, where I pushed to the side the radical love for God which I desired to live my life with, where I stopped relying on the Holy Spirit to make it through my days because, frankly, I didn't think I needed it, and where my pride told me I was better than others and that I could lower my standards for how I glorify God in my everyday life.

I would like to say that, since I have realized all these problems, I faced my failures and finally had the courage to live a life more glorifying to God. But there's another flaw: I can't. I need a Savior. I need a source of courage and boldness to follow through on how God wants me to live my life. I need to realize the redemption I have been given because Jesus Christ not only died for my sins, he also defeated death. I need the Holy Spirit to fill my life with good fruits and not just focus on cutting out the bad ones. I need to realize I am a new creation in Jesus Christ. I can't, but He can.

I can't be perfect.
I tried. and failed.
but He can.

And He did.

But that doesn't mean to go ahead and sin all the more. It just shows me even more, that I can't lead my life into a place pleasing to God. but He can. I need to continue pointing my life to Christ and trusting in Him, knowing that my sins have been forgiven.

Such a simple truth. The most basic truth that I have seemed to know for years. Yet I need continual reminders that it IS truth, and that it is the greatest news. ever.

While I may never conquer the mountain that is living a perfect life, He can. While I will be broken down by my sin and shown just how short I fall, I can be reassured that Jesus has covered my sin.

I can't, but He can.

So while I continue to see the beauty in God's grace and how my life has been redeemed, my prayer is that you, too, will see God's redemption in your life daily, and constantly be aware of God's love.