failings

I have a great friend who is my go-to for sharing my “mom fails”.   She has a special way of making me feel like I am not the only one who has gone through those particular trials.  I shared one such thing this morning- my daughter had secretly cut her own hair.  She is six.  Ahem… anyways, later after I spoke with my friend I began to think.  Who do I share my Christian fails with?   
 
We are all flawed.  Saved by the grace of God (Eph. 2:8) – and thank God he continues to give that grace new every morning! (Lam. 3:22-23)
 
Eph. 2:10 says,  “For we are His creation-created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.”
 
But what do we do when we don’t “walk” in them?  Well for starters, turn to the Holy Spirit and ask to be shown those things. (Ps 139:24)  Otherwise we may be “righteous in our own eyes” and miss it!  If repentance is the tune I continue to whistle, then I am more likely to see my own areas that the Spirit wants to work on.  If repentance is the tune I play from a boom box (yes I am child of the 90s!), all I am doing is being a noisy gong.  I would be habitually pointing out the splinter in another’s eye instead of dealing with the plank in my own.(Matt. 7:3-5)   And FYI – those verses are directed to believers.  It is not our job to go around to someone who does not share our faith and point out what they are doing wrong.  We are to share the message of Christ – Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!(Matt. 4:17)  Not the same as, “look at what you are doing wrong… you suck… you’re going to hell”.
 
Lam. 3:40 says, “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the Lord.”
 
One way to “examine” is by sharing the failings with a fellow believer.  I don’t mean shout it from your church rooftop... “I have been lustful”, “I am struggling with anger”,  “I have an addiction”, or I have unforgiveness toward a family member”, etc.  But more of an accountability situation with a trusted person who you can go to in your struggles, and they will point you toward your Lord.  Reminding you of who He says you are, and His promises for you.  We are built for community because only in community (in truthful community, not the rainbows and unicorn kind… we are too “blessed to be stressed”) do we find the unifying grace of being the bride of Christ. 
 
I was a makeup artist for several years.  I never met a bride who got ready entirely on their own.  I got married at the beach with two witnesses, and still I had others who helped me. 
 
Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but [only] the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.  On that day many will say to Me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?'  Then I will announce to them, 'I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers! '”
 
The reality is in the relationship, not the renovated outward appearance.  Honesty really is the best policy.  Besides, God sees the heart and your intentions anyway.  Why not just move on that?  If you are not in a safe space to do it in your Christian community, then pray to our Lord where he wants you to go.  Our God never wants us to sit in shame and fear.  We are to be real.  Anything else is like having plastic surgery when you have an infection of Gangrene.   Superficial, not sanctifying.