Whit's End: Throwing them out.

Do you ever have those conversations that give you a new outlook on your week? Or even a new outlook on your future? I recently had one of these. (My next post won't be quite so thought provoking, promise!) I talked to a friend who was struggling with meeting the expectations that our culture pushes on us. She faced unhappiness in her relationship, dissatisfaction with her hair, and discontentment with life because she felt she couldn't live up to the "standards" that were incessantly staring her in the face. I think all of us can relate because we've all been there. It's sometimes so difficult live in world of constant comparison. Why don't I have a boyfriend like that? Why doesn't my husband do that for me? Why didn't God give me that ability? Why does my hair not curl? Why isn't it straight and silky? Or my favorite, she just seems like she has so much favor! One of the reasons why I believe that we struggle with these thoughts is because our society promotes perfection. A prime example of this is America’s new fascination with Pinterest. This online board is life framed as picture-perfect. It makes love look effortless, recipes look simple, kids seem flawless, and beauty seem unattainable. Our culture is continuously sending messages of unachievable goals and unrealistic circumstances. Disclaimer: I have a Pinterest and I use it. But I just wonder, what if I used my own creativity to create?

So, back to my friend. What do we do with these false realities? Where did they come from? When did they begin to form in our heads? I once read a quote by a famous female who influences the direction our fascinations and it held such truth...

“When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he’s everything you’ve ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Than you grow up and you realize that prince charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he’s not easy to spot; he’s really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has the best hair.” – Taylor Swift

Our chase for perfection begins as young girls, before we even know who we are in Christ. We begin to place these false expectations in our minds only to discover that they don't actually exist. My friend and I are slowly discovering that life is so much more than what is inside of our imaginations. And to be honest, sometimes life is so much less. And that’s okay – it’s healthy. If only we could recognize that God has far better things for us than the world’s version of “happily ever after," “prince charming,” and definition of perfection. In fact, we are promised that if we truly believe, He is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine through His power working in us {Ephesians 3:20}. So, friends, don’t fret. It may not be in the way that you expect, but God will astonish you.

Throw out the expectations of this world. You can take small steps in doing this by:

1. Baking one of your favorite grandmother’s recipes and enjoying its aroma and memory.

2. Loving others in the way that He first loved us.

3. Choose today get creative and create something from your own imaginations.