The end of pretense

Thinking to myself about limits and disappointments, weariness and pretense, I wrote this in my journal. I know the word failure can be contentious - it's not a popular word to apply to ourselves - but despite all the positive self talk in the world, and the way we can spin our failures to be steps towards success, I believe there are still days when we feel/know our failing deeply. This 'think' is for those days. ​

***

​Quit pretending
that you have it all together, 
that your dreams came true
and you look upon your life
with satisfaction. 
The truth is
and you know, know, know it

you are a failure
in many different ways
and 
that's 
okay. 
Because I'm one too. 
And when we let go
of our pretense
our hands are free again
to accept this truth: 
that even on our muddliest days
when the dreams are chipped
and our actions flawed,
our love is timid and 
our courage gone,
God never asks us to be more, 
to work harder to be worthy 
to save. 
He saves us anyway. 
He saves the broken,
he saves the shaking,
he saves the useless, 
bumbling, unpolished ones. 
And 
he saves the tired ones,
the ones who have burnt out
trying to pretend
they didn't need,
they weren't the type,
they were perfectly fine without
the love of a saviour
who loves people just like us.

© Penny Reeve 2024