Give Yourself Some Grace

By Rick Warren

As we head into the holiday season, it’s likely your plate will get full. In fact, you may even drop a few plates along the way. Please don’t get discouraged if you do.

You need the freedom to relax and accept God’s grace for the everyday activities of your life. The truth is, we need to learn to give grace to ourselves as much as anyone else. Too often we’re trapped in a cycle of perfectionism that leaves us feeling defeated.

Nobody’s perfect. God knows that. He loves you unconditionally—when you hit a home run and when you strike out. He loves you no matter what. The Bible tells us, “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children—think of it—and we really are!” (1 John 3:1 TLB).

You’re a child of the King! No mistake will stop God from loving you.

You may have heard people say, “Let go and let God.” It may sound trite, but there’s truth in that. The Bible says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). You don’t have to worry about how you’ve messed up. God can handle your failures. It won’t shake his plan.

Instead of letting your imperfections frustrate and worry you, choose to learn from them. Relax. Give yourself grace. You need it and so do I.