Perfection Is A Big Fat Lie

Once, while in high school, the pastor of the church where I attended asked me to repaint the church sign.  It was a metal sign with black letters on a white background.  "Sure, I said."  5 days and 50 hours later I wish I had said no.

As a musician, I understand the pain of a sour note or a missed beat.  It messes everything and everyone up.  One mistake and it's all over.

The pressure to live our lives without mistakes is overwhelming.  Mistakes have cost lives, drove people into bankruptcy and destroyed families.  No one wants to make a mistake.

Unfortunately, that thought usually leads us to this one.  Perfectionism.  Doing life without making a mistake.  The problem is, it's impossible.  There is no such thing as being, "perfect."

If you pursue perfectionism, then you have to understand that it will make you worship at its altar.  What will it bless you with?  Agony.  When you make a mistake, and you will, perfectionism will devalue you.  You will never get it, "right" because every time you do something, it will remind you that you could have done it better.  Perfectionism never rewards you, it only punishes you and tells you to, "try again."

So that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:31)

#1 - God expects you to make mistakes.  That's why He promises to be bigger than our failures. 

#2 - Don't expect more of yourself than God expects of you. 

#3 - Don't major on minors.  Don't let the details of life become more important than your life.  

PRAY:  Dear Jesus, I know that I can be a perfectionist.  Help me to focus on you and not on the details.  AMEN  

Easter is coming!  April 16th.  All of our guests can enter our Easter Scavenger Hunt.  Grand prize $150.