I finally realized why I could never move forward
Is perfectionism an insult to God? The short answer is a simple, “Yes, it is.” Not that we shouldn’t try to be as perfect as we can be.
Jesus told us as much.
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48, KJV)
However, when we look at what Jesus said in the context of the entirety of the Bible, did He really expect us to be flawless? Was the only sinless man, who was also 100% God, telling us to be as perfect as our Heavenly Father?
In short: no. The Greek word τέλειος can be more accurately translated to mean “complete or accomplished.” In other words, He is instructing us to render ourselves to God entirely and completely, holding back nothing.
Besides, we read elsewhere in the Bible that we are certainly very flawed and in need of God’s perfect nature not only in this life but for our eternal salvation. When we strive for perfection, we do several things that take away from God to the point, I dare say, of insult.
- We declare that we are capable of perfection.
- We use valuable time and resources to arrogantly try to prove our worth in something that cannot be done.
- We deny God the opportunity to bless us with the gifts that only He can provide by trying to create them ourselves.
- When we fail, we get angry at ourselves in our failure, at God for not allowing us to succeed, or at both.
Be who God created you to be, not who you decided you should be
We live in a world that tells us to be all that we can be and to not let anything hold us back from that. There is some truth to that as long as we realize that God has given each of us gifts as well as limitations.
To that end, we must also realize that perfection is never a gift or the limitation with which anyone has been blessed. It is, therefore, not something we should aspire to achieve. Seek God’s direction to find what that is for you. Leave the perfection to Him and devote your energies to giving 100% to glorifying the Kingdom.
Living Faith by James M. Dakis is a Christian writing ministry that shares devotional teachings as well as faith-based fiction for anyone hoping to grow in Christ. Whether you are already a Christian or have questions about your faith, I would love to talk with you. Comment here or reach out to me personally.
A special thanks to Radha Kapadia, Grace Bianco, Laurie Livingston Nave, and Kyle Chastain for their inspiration, help, and encouragement during my writing journey.
Jim