Perfect? For Who?

Any other perfectionists out there? Oh, we use the cop out, “we just want to do a great job for the Lord.” But is that really the truth behind our perfectionistic tendencies?

I was raised by a perfectionist dad who was a great father, but perhaps his expectations, even of me, pushed me this direction. Add to that I am an enthusiastic, optimistic, Type A, Enneagram 1 personalty, and that’s the makings for trouble if I’m not careful.

I can truly say, I’m not as bad as I was in the past, I still struggle to some degree with perfectionism as I was made aware of in reading Ruth Chou Simons’ book, When Strivings Cease.

She connected perfectionism to striving to perform and said when this is our focus, we lose the delight of doing what God has given us to do. Ruth wrote this, “When I substitute God’s purpose with my own performance, I make myself a slave to perfection...performance over presence–God’s presence–always leaves us fearfully reliant on our perfect execution rather than Christ’s perfect deliverance.“

Most often, I think I am the one I am most concerned about failing. Perhaps my competitiveness is with myself even more than with those around me. And, perfectionism can also become an issue when I expect others to also be perfect!

My D-Group is also reading the Bible chronologically and as I was reading this particular chapter in Ruth’s book, we were reading Ephesians. In the middle of instructing believers in the Ephesian church how to live with integrity and for the right reasons, Paul says this…

Don’t work only while being watched, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, do God’s will from your heart.

Ephesians 6:6

Could I also be a people pleaser? Is this why I want to do a “perfect” job? Or am I a self-pleaser as I compete with myself to do better each time until its perfect? A good question to ask myself occasionally. How about you?

Our reason for doing whatever we do, day after day, is obedience to our God as we live enslaved to His purpose for our lives…bringing glory to Him as we grow in our walk with Him and those He places in our lives. So if you strive to do a great job, ask the Lord how He wants you to do it His way for His honor.

God did not create us to be “perfect”, He created us to be faithful. Easter has reminded us once again of His perfect and complete solution to our sin problem, no matter what it is.

If you missed it, also read this recent post Getting Job Done.

Banner photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash