I think a lot of the times, we feel like we have to fake it to make it. We feel like "oh people are expecting me to have my life together, so I need to have my life together, even if I don't". We feel like we have to fake it to our parents, to our friends, to our co-workers, and even sometimes to God. BUT, let me tell you something.

God doesn't want you to be trapped in this idea of perfectionism.

I don't know about you, but I am a big perfectionist sometimes. Like if I ever have to do a project or speech or anything, I want it to be perfect. A lot of you might be perfectionists too. You might want your house to look perfect or your life to be together and perfect. You strive hard sometimes for other's approval of you and have a fear of rejection. But the idea of perfection is not a reality for humans.

About a month ago, I was thinking, "okay God, you know that I want this to be perfect, but I also know that perfection is not a realistic thing, so why am I trying so hard to make this perfect, why do I have this desire".

You see, God knows that we have a human nature to strive for perfection. He knows that we live in a broken world that says you need to have your life together. He knows that Satan is a huge jerk and fills our heads with lies and tempts us. But God, who loves us so much, doesn't love us because we have our life together. He loves us because we are His creation. We are His sons and daughters. All He wants for us is to want to know Him and love Him back.

I think a lot of people feel that they aren't good enough to be a Christian or to even know God and have a relationship with Him. They feel like "why would He want me, I'm not a good person". Maybe you are in that boat. Or maybe you are a believer of God, but you feel like I've not been acting like a Jesus follower lately. You feel like "I haven't been reading my Bible or I've been focusing on school, work, relationships, etc. way more than my relationship with Christ lately, but I don't know how to get my life together now". You might be having this feeling of guilt or doubt in yourself as a Christian. But, whichever boat you are in, listen up.

God knows that we are sinners. He knows that we will fall short sometimes. He knows that we are not these perfect humans that have everything figured out because He knows that we live in a broken world. He knows our temptations and tendencies to strive for perfectionism. I mean the Bible is filled with stories of sinners who didn't have it all together and He continually showed patience and grace towards them.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

And here's the thing. It's not about being perfect and having your life together and then finding Jesus and following Him. It's about knowing you are broken and giving all the broken pieces to Jesus. It's about letting Him use you and grow you in your brokenness.

God wants us to get our eyes and thoughts off of ourselves and instead, have them fixed on the Word. He wants us to become free of this idea of perfection and instead, imperfectly follow Jesus because He want our hearts to be set on loving Him, loving others, and loving ourselves.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

He knew this and sent His son to die on the cross for you. Jesus' death and resurrection paid for the sin that we struggle with. It paid for the perfection that you seek. That perfection will never be fulfilled by anything on this earth. We can only find that in Jesus Christ.