What's the Point?

Are there days when you feel like you just can't seem to get things right? Often times no matter how hard I try, I can't measure up. Often when I read my Bible or think through all the things that are expected of me, I feel like I can't measure up to God's standards. Sometimes it feels that there are just too many rules and expectations.

A few mornings ago, the instant I woke up, 3 people crossed my mind that were either 'driving me crazy' or had made me mad or frustrated. I began to run their faults over and over in my mind before I even had gotten out of bed! I had run across one of them the night before and had not been my friendliest.  I quickly realized that in all of those situations that  I am the common denominator. I knew what I had to do and it seemed exhausting. I needed to repent and ask for forgiveness and forgive them. You know, all the things.

As I opened my Bible that morning, I read Ps. 32:5 "Finally I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt." I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD and you forgave me! All my guilt is gone." Sometimes, all of the 'right' things to do feel so exhausting. I can't keep up or measure up. But when I read this verse, I remembered that these 'rules' are really guidelines. And these guidelines are put there for our good. God wants us to be free, happy, and unburdened. When I come to Him I am forgiven, but He also gives me the grace to work through my issues. Not because He expects it or demands it, but because he wants the best for me. I knew that if I continued with all that anger, unforgiveness, and bitterness, that I was not going to be a very attractive person. I was becoming someone that I really didn't like.  God doesn't want to be hard on us nor demanding. He gives us these guidelines because He loves us and He knows what will help us. He actually really does know and want what is best for us. That gives me a whole lot of comfort and seems to take off the pressure. It makes me want to rather than feel that I have to and that seems to make all the difference.