No One Ever Told Me
Only God is Perfect
By Rev. Karl A. Francis
From a young age I liked to think of myself as one who strove for excellence, but after deep reflection, I realized it’s perfection that I really wanted. Striving for perfection is hard work and usually leads to attempting to do everything all by oneself. That approach is ineffective because no one is perfect.
Nevertheless, perfection was the only goal for me, especially when it related to planning an important event. For example, many years ago when I was helping to plan our wedding, what do you think I was aiming for? Excellence? No, perfection!
Our wedding was to take place in the church we attended, followed by a reception on the large lawn of a friend’s home. The lawn was big enough to host three hundred people seated at round tables. Back then, forty-plus years ago in Jamaica, weddings were not normally held at hotels or rental halls, but at homes on the lawn. Additionally, private catering was not always utilized because family members often donated large amounts of the food for the wedding reception. Our case was no exception. Our relatives gifted us with a whole pig and a goat, which were prepared by two renowned chefs at different locations.
For a wedding to be considered successful, the reception following the ceremony in the church had to be well planned and equally well executed. One had to ensure that no matter where the various menu items were prepared, they would be prepared perfectly and delivered to the reception venue on time.
The essential life lesson for me is that God alone is perfect. Hence, we who are imperfect beings can strive for excellence, but we should leave perfection to God.
Our wedding was scheduled for late afternoon. That morning I verified with the people responsible that everything was on schedule. Early afternoon I verified the schedule again, and, I admit, one more time just before the wedding ceremony! I was exhausted from checking on the event not by phone, but by physically visiting each location that prepared the items. Yes, despite my extreme effort to have a perfect wedding, I did manage to make it to the wedding on time, for I would not miss marrying Dyrie, the lovely woman God had given me.
You may be wondering how it turned out. Well, the ceremony at the church ended up going well as the presence of God was very evident. But the person transporting my lovely bride to the ceremony got lost despite his insistence that he knew exactly where to go. Dyrie was half an hour late due to no fault of her own. She had been dressed and waiting!
And we had more surprises. The photographers arrived early and took many pictures. Now remember, those were the days when rolls of Kodak or Fuji films were used and later processed. We considered ourselves fortunate to engage the service of a professional British photographer on special assignment to the government of Jamaica. We thought he must be excellent to have received such an assignment. Typically, a couple would receive their pictures a couple weeks following the wedding. But alas, after a couple weeks, we received the shocking news from the photographer that he had misplaced the rolls of film of our wedding. He may still be searching for them today! Can you imagine such a disappointment? Thankfully, we received some pictures taken by individuals with their personal cameras, but they were certainly not taken with multiple pixel cameras like most people use today.
The major lesson I learned from this experience is that no matter how hard you try to plan a perfect event, it seems something naturally goes wrong (Murphy’s Law). After my wedding, I began to keep score of events planned by me and others. I observed that somehow, despite meticulous planning, things do not always occur as planned, especially things out of one’s control.
Currently, I provide premarital counseling to many couples. During the final session I encourage them to not allow their day to be marred by events that failed to go as planned. Some will even hire meticulous wedding planners, yet later I still hear that something went contrary to plan.
Scriptures confirm in different passages that only God is perfect. Perfect means “without flaw.” God is perfect in every way. He is flawless!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he (Deuteronomy 32:4, NIV).
Both 2 Samuel 22:31 and Psalm 18:30 use the same words to declare that God is perfect in word and deed.
As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.
God’s perfection is evident in His character, His Word, and His actions.
God is perfect; we are not. But when He saves us, the Holy Spirit moves into our being and begins to transform our imperfections, to make us more like Jesus. How does He accomplish this? Through a process called sanctification. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV) states,
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as first fruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
The writer of Colossians says,
When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature” (Colossians 2:11, NLT).
God’s goal is that we become “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). Although we know we will never attain absolute perfection in this fallen world, God desires us to pursue it. The pursuit itself is of great value because we are working in harmony with God’s plan for us. God is perfect. Jesus is perfect. Yet the essential life lesson for me is that God alone is perfect. Hence, we who are imperfect beings can strive for excellence, but we should leave perfection to God. We will realize perfection on the other side in heaven.
Now, I strive for excellence, and when things are not perfect, I smile and say to myself, “Yes, only God is perfect.”
About the Author
Having been involved in pastoral ministry for more than forty years, Karl A. Francis is lead pastor of Living Word Open Bible in Cooper City, Florida, which he and his wife, Dyrie, pioneered in 1993. He serves on the National Board of Open Bible Churches, USA, and the Board of Global Missions of Open Bible Churches, USA. He serves as the chairman for South Florida Keswick, a multi-denominational organization comprised of some twenty churches. He is also the South District Director for the Southeast Region of Open Bible Churches. A graduate of Open Bible College in Jamaica, Rev. Francis holds a master’s degree in finance from the University of Miami, Florida.
A former executive banker, Rev. Francis is a popular conference speaker in the United States and internationally. He has a strong passion for developing leaders who have planted several churches under his mentorship. He and his wife, Dyrie, live in South Florida and have two grown sons, Jonathan and Bryan.
It’s easy to get excited about beginnings: the birth of something new, the start of a fresh place. But we often forget that both the beginning and end have a purpose. Finishing matters.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.
2 Tim. 4:17 NLT
What a beautiful reminder that we are not running this race to win; we are running to finish. Friend, God has positioned you in this time and given you specific gifts and talents to serve Him. Your race is now and it’s important. You’ve been handed the baton of faith and entrusted to carry it forward as you run your part in God’s divine relay. Here are some reminders as you run your race:
Train to endure
Do you remember what it’s like to run when you haven’t run in a long time? When you’re so out of shape that you can’t even run one mile without stopping several times to catch your breath? I am reminded of the intense training marathon runners go through. They train day by day, putting one foot in front of the other. Eventually, they can run many miles without stopping. This is because they build endurance and gradually adapt, allowing their bodies to train for the long haul. They don’t just train their bodies for endurance, but they also fuel their bodies properly to run the race. They change how they eat so their muscles can heal and rebound between runs, and they also store enough energy so they can function properly.
Like that of a marathon runner, your race requires proper training, nutrition, and self-discipline. It’s not just about the output but also about the input. God’s Word strengthens you and sustains you through your journey, and prayer and intimacy are where you rest, fuel, and receive the supernatural power of healing to continue.
Throw it off
I remember many times during a walk or a run when I realized I had a tiny rock in my shoe. Sure, I tried to ignore it, but until I took off my shoe to get rid of that little rock, it was impossible to focus on anything else. If not dealt with, the rock could rub my foot raw, cause wounds, or even worse, cost me the race. We all have things we need to throw off or get rid of.
In the book of Hebrews we are challenged, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (Heb. 12:1 NIV).
Maybe you’re in a season of transition in your race and the terrain is looking a little different. Just remember, how you leave a season will impact how you enter the next. If you leave offended, you start defensive. If you finish weak, you start fragile. If you leave healthy, you start strong. You are still running the race; what you pick up in one season is often carried into the next. Travel lightly! You cannot go where you are going without leaving where you have been. Once you’ve thrown off what you should not be holding on to, you are free to grasp new batons. Consider the power of carrying these batons into new places rather than dragging along the heaviness of old priorities, hurts and resentments, or sins and scars.
Rest
You cannot go where you are going without leaving where you have been.
Rest is vitally important when running the race. Sometimes to finish well, you need to rest. While you rest, Jesus moves. I have experienced amazing seasons of rest when I have seen God work in miraculous ways. A season of rest is just a season of catching your breath! There are seasons when you need to run, and then there are seasons when you need to stop and breathe… and that is okay. Some experiences are going to bruise you or knock the wind out of you. When that happens, take a moment and catch your breath. Remember, it’s not about winning the race – finishing is what matters!
Rest, if done properly, allows you to examine the reasons for your tiredness and relinquish what is not yours to carry. The trials, challenges, disappointments, obstacles, and hurdles you face as you run will naturally impact you. It’s not easy to go the distance, is it? The battles can be fiercer and the terrain rockier than you anticipated. Maybe, as you read this, your lungs feel like they are going to burst, and your muscles are burning because you didn’t know this would be so hard. Yet here you are, determined and locking eyes with the One who has numbered your days. Train to endure, throw off all that burdens you, and rest when needed. Keep your eyes on Jesus and finish well!
About the Author
Sarah Holsapple
Sarah Holsapple serves on staff at her church in Cedar Rapids, IA, as the Creative & Spiritual Development Director. She serves alongside her husband of almost 20 years, Pastor Harris, who is the Lead Pastor at First Open Bible. Sarah has been teaching and preaching for several years. She’s passionate about discipleship and women’s ministry and served as the Regional Women’s Director for Open Bible Central Region. One of her favorite things in life is being a mom to her two incredible children, Hudson and Lynnley Jo.
The last several years for Sarah have been the hardest of her life. She truly knows the depths of heartbreak and what it feels like to wrestle through healing. She has seen God move in miraculous ways and has experienced great comfort in knowing that we serve a faithful God. Sarah feels great joy in sharing encouragement from the word of God, seeing lives changed and people set free!
Sometimes leaders come in unexpected packages.
Toward the beginning of 2023, I had three separate conversations with three different women in our church. Each of them brought up in one way or another that they desired to learn how to write a sermon.
Not exactly the emerging leaders I was looking for.
From a strategic perspective, I’ve always been encouraged to invest in younger leaders. Not that the older generation is unimportant, but it does makes sense that with limited time and resources, we should focus on raising up those emerging leaders who will be able to influence people for Jesus for decades to come. So, what was I supposed to do with these three women? Two have grandkids and all three are old enough to get a discount on their breakfast at IHOP.
There were younger people in the church I wanted to develop. There were other leaders to which I thought it would be smarter to devote my time. But after praying, I couldn’t shake it: God was clearly asking me to invest in these women.
Before long, I was meeting with the group in an upstairs classroom at the church, teaching them my approach to sermon development (an approach influenced by both Andy Stanley’s Communicating for a Change, and my dad, who is one of the best preachers I know).
When God leads me to people I wouldn’t normally gravitate to, invest anyway. When it’s surprising and seems to contradict my leadership strategy books, invest anyway.
They each completed the three-month-long class last fall, having written a sermon of their own. Each of their sermons reflected countless hours of prayer, Bible study, writing and re-writing and re-writing again. Now, whether they share at a mid-week service, a special event, or a Sunday morning, they each have a message burning in their hearts that they are ready to preach.
I am excited to see what comes next for them. But I’m also walking away with a new resolve: I want to invest where God is calling me to invest.
When God leads me to people I wouldn’t normally gravitate to, invest anyway. When it’s surprising and seems to contradict my leadership strategy books, invest anyway.
If you look at who Jesus called and invested in, His choices surely shocked a lot of people. When you look at who I was when He chose me, that was pretty shocking too. I’m so grateful Jesus didn’t cater to the opinions of others and chose me anyway. I’m also thankful for ministry leaders like my dad, my mentor Steve Moore, and my long-time pastor Gary Khan. When God prompted them, and even when my potential was hard to see, they invested anyway.
Levi Thompson
Levi Thompson serves as the lead pastor at Desert Streams Church in Canyon Country, CA. Following a life-changing encounter with God at 17, Levi became passionate about facilitating transformative experiences with God for others and inspiring them to pursue their God-given destinies. Levi enjoys sharing life’s adventures and the ministry journey with his wife, Katie, and their two children, Noah (13) and Mia (8).
By LeAnna McIntyre
I have always enjoyed the story of Esther from the Bible, an unexpected hero for her people. An orphan girl just living her life, Esther found herself appointed queen of a whole kingdom. She exposed an evil plot, and because of that her people were saved.
However, I did not relate much to this orphan girl in my younger years, and I don’t know how much I even tried. I am no queen. I simply was raised in a Christian home with parents who loved the Lord. I loved God and wanted to serve Him. I remember crying to my mom when I was young because we had heard a beautiful testimony of a woman whom God had rescued from drug addiction, and I didn’t know how my testimony could show God’s love that powerfully.
I tried to fly under the radar. I am a wife of twenty-eight years to a wonderful husband. For years I was a stay-at-home, homeschool mother to four boys. I volunteered at our church in youth ministry, worship, and kids’ ministries. I just loved people and loved God.
I attended Pacific Region’s Discover Ministry School simply because I wanted to serve better and know God in a deeper way. I had spent more of my life feeling insecure than confident. Pastoring was not something for which I was aiming. But when the opportunity came to lead our church, God gave me a passion for His Word and a love for the people in our community. I jumped in, afraid but wanting to do what God had for me. I am now surrounded by people who encourage me and support me, and God is doing great things at our church.
At first, many people quoted to me Mordecai’s words to Esther: “Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NIV). And then someone told me that I had said “yes” when others said “no.”
The insecurity in my mind told me that somehow I became the pastor only because others said no, and without realizing it, I believed I was God’s “Plan “B,” a backup plan because “Plan A” didn’t work out. I didn’t know any other female lead pastors to look to, so I questioned every decision I made and yet tried to trust God to work out this backup plan toward His good.
Now He is showing me that I am His Plan A for the call He has on my life. It’s a crazy thought, but I am coming to know and walk in it. I have learned a few things happen when you understand that you are God’s Plan A.
First, you begin to look toward Him in a new way. If I am God’s plan A, that means He put me here. I am not an afterthought. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He knows the plans He has for us. His plans are not for our harm, but rather to give us a hope and a future.
Sometimes we read that verse and forget that the hope of that plan coming about comes from God as well. So, we must get close to Him, close enough to hear His heartbeat and recognize His voice. When things do not open up like we think they should, when they don’t come as fast as we would like, being close to Him keeps us from bitterness because we are not shaken by the things of this world. We are led by Him.
Second, our boxing gloves come off. When you understand you are God’s Plan A for the purposes He has for you, you do not have to fight for that position. God is the one who called you; people did not give you that call. If you are called by Him, He will open doors and close doors as He sees fit. I do not want to walk through any door that He did not open. We must be careful to guard our hearts and not let bitterness or frustration motivate us to kick doors down or throw a fit in the hallway as we wait on Him. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Everything flows from what is in our hearts. What kind of ministry or purpose will you walk out if you get frustrated and start punching down doors? One that is grown from a place of bitterness will not speak Jesus to the nations or even our neighbors. God’s timing is perfect, so we need to follow that timing to truly walk out the purposes He has for us.
Esther trusted God in the process. She was in the palace; she was queen; but she was just herself. You do not see her fighting anyone or forwarding her agenda. When she was told of the plot to kill her people, she fasted and prayed and instructed others to do so as well. She could have tried to kick down the door of the throne room, but without God’s favor and timing in that moment, she would have died. She was careful to be led by God. She was obedient to His voice even in the timing.
What I wish I would have known earlier is that we are all a little like Esther. We are all being raised up for “such a time as this.” God could have put us anywhere in the timeline of the earth, and He chose now. We are God’s Plan A for this place in time. We get to walk in obedience, get close to Him, and watch Him work out the good purposes He has for us. I cannot wait to see what He has in store next!
About the Author
LeAnna McIntyre serves at The Bridge Open Bible Church in Eugene, Oregon, where she has been lead pastor for the past two and one-half years. She has been married to her husband, Scott, for twenty-eight years and is the mother of four boys. LeAnna is passionate about prayer and worship and loving people well.
To listen to LeAnna’s interview with President Randall Bach about her journey from fellow church member to lead pastor, go to Better Roads-LeAnna McIntyre
