Workout. Drink lots of water. Nope, can’t eat that because you’ll get fat. Stay up as late as you need to in order to get an A+ on the assignment. Heavily apply concealer to cover the bags under your eyes. Make sure your wardrobe is always on point to keep up with the trends. Bust your butt in that job or internship because you need to show everybody that you’re capable, strong, and a fighter. Oh and don’t forget to find yourself a boyfriend. If, however, there are currently no guys that want to date you, act like you don’t care and are “focusing on school” or “too busy with work”. After all, you’re supposed to be better on your own and striving after what you want, right? You don’t need a man to tell you you’re pretty, beautiful, or sexy. All the songs out there tell you that anyway. Work hard, push yourself, and shove your feelings so far down that you become almost devoid of all emotion. This is perfection, is it not?
She lifted her head to face her worst enemy. She did this several times a day because she knew it’s what society expected of her. The enemy lived in the mirror and only laughed at her every time she looked at it. Day after day as she crawled into bed, tears poured down her cheeks reminding her that she was not good enough and there was always more she should be doing. She should volunteer at the shelter in order to be known and seen as a “good person.” Instead of walking by that former classmate she should have said hi and asked how he was doing. Why did she spend hour after hour staring at assignments until just the right words came to her? No, she always whispered to herself before falling asleep, If I don’t do these things then I won’t be perfect. In order to be at the top I have to sacrifice certain things. I can make it on my own. I don’t need anyone else. And so the next morning the cycle continued and she knew it would never stop.
If this scenario fits your life, find encouragement and grace in Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Jesus isn’t saying that your life will suddenly become much easier if you surrender to Him. He is giving you a place of security and reassuring you that He loves you despite your imperfectness. You were not designed to do it all, be it all, or have it all without some sort of emptiness. You can gain this world, but you will lose your soul because without Him at the center of your life you will fail. Know that your worth is only in Jesus Christ and perform not to receive applause from others, but to bring glory to an audience of One.