I'm not perfect... I know this and I'm sure everyone around me knows this, but still something inside of me wants to hide my imperfections. Sometimes I try to let people only see the "sanitized" version of my life: the part I've edited to remove all of my mistakes and to make me look less, well, human? I am a constantly striving creature who needs daily renewal to survive spiritually. Of course I make mistakes! The beautiful part of this is that God is so gracious, He doesn't only help me overcome my mistakes, He USES those same mistakes to make me a better person and to encourage other people. He doesn't call me to "sanitize" my life for others, but to sanctify, set apart, my life through His Word so that He can use that mess as a message.

1 Corinthians 6:11
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

The "sanitized" version of my life doesn't allow God's grace in my life to shine through. If His strength is made perfect in weakness, I have to let my weaknesses show sometimes, to be able to show His strength!

The sanitized mindset wants to have a perfect home before inviting people over and then, is stressed to keep it maintained while they are visiting that I don't allow Jesus to use me to love them. The sanctified mindset disregards the pride that motivates my hyper-cleaning and instead focuses on loving the people who are in my home.

The sanitized mindset avoids meeting new people because I'm scared and awkward and don't know what to say. The sanctified version doesn't focus on myself, but on the other person's needs.

The sanitized mindset finds fault in an effort to lift myself above others because of their defects. The sanctified version recognizes the amazing ways grace has transformed my mistakes into my greatest witness for Christ, and my own daily necessity for forgiveness, and extends that same grace and forgiveness to those around me.

I don't want to be my version of "sanitized;" LORD, sanctify me.