This Side of Heaven

---by Elisabeth Allen of Twenty Three and Soaring


I wish ... I was perfect.

I wish I never had an unpleasant thought.
I wish I never said an unkind word.
I wish I never did an ungenerous deed.

I wish I was ... perfect.

I know I am not going to be perfect this side of heaven.
I know it.
Really I do.

But I still wish ...

I'm 23 years old and I've been a Christian almost all my life. I should be better, live better, do better. Shouldn't I?

And yet ... I am human. And I know (really I do) that as long as I am human - as long as I live and breath this side of heaven - I am going to trip up and mess up.

Unpleasant thoughts spring to my mind ... apparently from nowhere.
Unkind words trip off the end of my tongue ... just like that.
Ungenerous deeds don't seem all that bad compared to ... robbing a bank.

I am human and ... God knows that and He has made a way for me to be reconciled with Him and walk closely with Him.

But every time I trip up and mess up ... every time I am guilty of a thought or word or deed that is not pleasant and kind and generous - that is not worthy ... every time ...

I wish (again) I was perfect ... this side of heaven.