48 | Jesus Doesn’t Need You To Be Perfect: How He Changes You From the Inside Out

Click to Fill Out The Podcast Feedback Form Do you ever feel like you have to "get it together" before you can really come to God? Maybe you tell yourself, "Once I stop reacting like that… once I get consistent with my quiet time… once I finally deal with this sin… then I will have a real relationship with God." In this episode of Peace Over Perfection, we are talking about why that is not how the gospel works, and how Jesus actually changes us from the inside out. This is not about pretending you are fine or lowering the bar. It is about understanding what Scripture says about redemption, sanctification, and the daily, messy process of becoming more like Christ. You will learn: Why God is not surprised by your "mess" and how Psalm 139 shows he already knows you completely What Jesus says in Mark 7 about the real problem being in our hearts, not just in our behavior How redemption (Romans 3 and Titus 3) and sanctification fit together in the life of a believer What it means to be a "new creation" in Christ even when your habits have not caught up yet How Jesus welcomes sinners in Luke 15 and Romans 5:8, and what that means for you when you feel like a disappointment What Genesis 3 and 1 John 1:9 show us about God's response when we sin and try to hide Why grace is not an excuse to do whatever we want, and how Romans 6 calls us to live differently without demanding perfection This is not a "try harder" episode and it is not a "do whatever you want" episode. It is a reminder that you do not have to pre-clean your life before you invite Jesus in. You come to him with the real story, and he is the one who does the deep work in your heart over time. Scripture of the Week: Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." This Week's Challenge: Pay attention to where you are "pre-cleaning" for God. When you catch yourself thinking, "I need to fix this before I talk to him," stop and talk to him right there instead. Tell him the truth about what is going on and ask him to help you in the middle of it, not after you have cleaned it up. Resources Mentioned: Click to Fill Out The Podcast Feedback Form Shop Scripture Based Items on our Website My Favorite Things on Amazon (including favorite study Bibles) Get on the Waitlist for the "How to Study the Bible" Course YouVersion Bible App The Bible Recap Connect With Me: Email: [email protected] Instagram: @susan.shropshire TikTok: @susanshropshire