Perfectionism is one of those character traits some might call a blessing and a curse. On one hand, the drive for perfectionism creates an inner desire to autograph one’s worth with excellence. The drive for success and the motivation to exhibit one’s best are two qualities that are not inherently wrong, but they can quickly become twisted and consume us.
As a pastor’s kid, an academic, and an oldest sibling, I am no stranger to the pressures of maintaining a facade of perfection. Yes, I was the kid who rewrote her diaries entries because her handwriting wasn’t up to par. And yes, I relished maintaining a perfect GPA throughout my most of my academic career. Clearly, I am not immune to the negative effects of perfectionism. I know all too well the pressure to act and feel “perfect” in the eyes of others as well as myself.
As Christians, it is not unnatural to feel a certain pressure to perform at a high level. In fact, Christians are commissioned to pursue excellence out of obedience to our God, but we should not pretend to be perfect. Christianity is not simply about following a set of rules and regulations, but rather it’s about understanding that as broken and imperfect people our only hope lies in a perfect God.
Perfectionism in it’s healthiest form is consistently striving to perform at your highest potential, but in it’s worst form is the self-destructive pattern of self-blame and setting unrealistic expectations. The drive to be better, to excel, to rise to the top are all things we things we strive to attain. The danger in this vicious cycle is that it ends in a comparison trap that can spiral out of control.
Scripture makes it very clear that perfection is not something humans can attain.
“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23).
Sin is everywhere and this verse serves as a reminder that everyone, including Christians, are imperfect people. It’s time that us Christians admit to ourselves and others that sin is a daily battle and we often fall on the losing side. Even though we are far from perfect, the truth is that we serve a perfect God.
“…all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).
The reality of the cross is our sin was accounted for by the only One who can count us blameless. Although are lives a marked by sin, there is freedom in knowing those shortcomings do not define our eternal fate. The beautiful thing about our relationship with Christ is that we uses our greatest weaknesses and flaws as apart of his perfect plan. The truth is Christ has transformed the darkest parts of our souls by his grace, so the pressure's off - we don't have to be perfect because He was.
In the end, we’ve fallen people and we’ll never meet that perfect mark and by creating unrealistic expectations for ourselves. By doing this, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Sin is apart of everyone's lives and pretending that we are above human nature isn't realistic of honest. Instead of attempting to achieve perfection, Christians should identify their personal flaws while striving to live in a manner that edifies our perfect God.
