Mr. Not-so-perfect
After doing my quiet times a couple days ago, I started humming. Strangely enough, instead of the usual Moulin Rouge or Backstreet Boys or Westlife or even 98 Degrees melody, I found myself humming the chorus to “The Reason,” by Hoobastank.

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is You

I smiled after remembering someone tell me that her church had sung this song during worship service, and I thought about it for a minute.

The first thing that came to mind was a comment that I had heard from someone close to me concerning my blog, about how everything I put on here makes it seem as if I live a perfect Christian life. Of course, this was not my intention at all, but I guess it’s time to be real.

I saw this Joel Osteen quote on someone’s profile a few weeks ago: “The church isn't a museum to display perfect people; it's a hospital to help the hurting.” I would just like to take this opportunity to tell everyone that I am, in fact, NOT PERFECT. Woah. Shocker, huh?

Don’t worry, nothing I type here is too personal. I mean, honestly, who knows who reads this thing. Hopefully, some of you will be able to help me stay accountable for these things – I’d appreciate it. Nothing below will be appalling enough to make you treat me differently, unless, uh, you really did think I was perfect. If that is the case, then I am flattered…?

In the past month or so, I suppose ever since I started concentrating on “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” I have been in somewhat of a stage of reflection. You know, thinking about stuff that could be changed or improved in my life, personality traits I’d like to get rid of, and habits I’d like to form.

The first thing that came to mind was my patience. Or, unfortunately at times, the lack thereof. I just read this during my quiet time:

Patience: It’s an odd word in this “aspirin age” where relief from pain and problems is just two pills and a swallow of water away. In a society that pioneered “presto living” through such everyday commodities as microwaves, frozen gourmet dinners, and minute rice, patience seems like some concept from a time warp – as outdated as typewriters and phonograph records.

Yet the Bible’s standards haven’t changed. Patience is the trademark stamp of God’s Holy Spirit in your life. As with love, joy, peace, and the other fruit of the Spirit, God wants to grow more patience in your life: patience to persist when you fail the first time; patience to endure hardship and personal struggles without griping, knowing you’ll somehow be stronger in the end; patience to listen when your parents ramble about “back when I was your age…”

Patience is not honking when stuck on the freeway behind the little old lady from Pasadena; it’s not kicking a hole in the door when locked out by your kid sister. Patience is waiting for God’s absolute best in your life, whether a marriage partner or a job. This kind of patience will not sprout overnight. The making of a Christian who is Christllike is a timely process that God does not rush.

The book of James talks a lot about patience. James launches the first chapter with the words: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors” (The Message). It’s important that we let pressure do its work, he adds, “so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” In other words, the hardships you’d prefer to sidestep are the very things you should patiently and joyfully endure.

Grit your teeth, but don’t forget to smile! Don’t let you dailly problems at home, work, or school drive you to panic – let them drive you joyfully to patience…and to a closer relationship with Christ. As a Christian, you are to be what Amy Carmichael calls “the Lord’s diehards, to whom can be committed any kind of trial of endurance, and who can be counted upon to stand firm whatever happens.”

The Lord’s diehard. Now THAT would be tight.

The second issue is my pride. Although it hasn’t been too big of an issue as of late, I believe every guy out there knows what I’m talking about. I’m sure it’s probably the number one problem for many guys. The need to be the best at something. The need to have the last word. The need to win. It’s time to change. I want to be the most humble person in the world! Just kidding.

And finally, I want to improve my ability to be one of those “no-matter-what” kind of friends. The word I’m looking for isn’t coming to mind at the moment, but it’s pretty easy to explain. I want to be able to realize that no one is perfect. I want to be able to overlook other people’s shortcomings. I want to be able to accept people just the way they are. I want to be able to see people using God’s eyes. I want to be able to be friendly to people no matter how they treat me. I want to be able to love people no matter what.

So there it is, plain and simple. What do I expect to come out of all this? Well, that’s obvious: to become a perfect person, duh.

Just kidding again. I’m not really sure. I guess for me, this is just the first step of noticing the areas I need to change in my life, and realizing that I can’t do it alone. But I mean, nothing is impossible for God, right? Right. I still have hope.

Better yet, I still have faith. Faith that with God’s help, I will become the man He wants me to be. Like Abe Lincoln once said, “Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will!

Faith. I love that word.