Arch-Enemies

Perfectionism. My nemesis, or more so my self-created perceived one. Over the years, the message I have heard and told myself is that the desire to be perfect is inherently evil, sinned-based, wrong, and something I need to overcome. I’ve lived much of my life in this confused fight against these views, and ultimately, myself.

Yet, no matter how hard I try fighting to overcome this, something hasn’t shifted in my mind and life. Something else hasn’t settled right; it feels wrong to deny the depth of my soul inside and accept something other than me. I know I need a healthier me, but the answer to let go never has seemed to fit.

I’ve come to realize this answer isn’t actually the answer at all. There’s something more out there for me to take hold of, for all of us as God’s creation. I’ve come to discover, that we all struggle deep in our souls to let go of the longing for perfection because perfection is what we are made for.

I’ve known for a long time as a child of the church that God created us perfect in the garden, in the beginning. Yet, we’re taught this characteristic of humanity is entirely lost to us the day sin enters our bones. Sin indeed has taken away the perfection of our bodies, minds, souls, and world. However, sin didn’t change God and it didn’t change our innate spirit in Him and from Him.

There’s an inborn calling back to the garden He made for us, back to His plan, back to Him. Our body, soul, and spirit feel it. For this purpose, we are designed. We, as His creation, are searching for the garden…searching for what was taken…searching for perfection. And because that was God’s original intention and now the ultimate rescue plan for humanity, this searching is never wrong.

The Shift

The right shift happens when we move away from perfectionism, and begin toward perfection. Terms seemly similar, yet one has the capacity to wreak havoc and the other the capacity to release glory.

According to dictionary terms, a word ending in “ism” is a mark of a pathological condition. Pathological comes from the Greek word Pathos, meaning suffering. Today’s dictionaries define pathological as: disease-related, or extreme in a way that is not normal or that shows an illness or mental problem. Worse yet “ism”, refers to: an oppressive and especially discriminatory attitude or belief, and an abnormal state or condition resulting from excess of a (specified) thing.

None of these are healthy, nor what I want in my life or to characterize me! Perfectionism is not what we are searching for. It allows for no grace and mercy, no love and growth, no God or Jesus. Perfectionism is a deadly trap. A disease that tells us we are unsatisfactory and unlovable the way we are. Decaying our minds as we fixate on judgment and lack. For us, this brings destruction to our minds, hearts, and lives. Satan, the enemy of our soul is the cause. There is no good in, or from, perfectionism. 

The good news is, that another option is freely given to us!

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope [Jesus] is introduced, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come…it can never…make perfect those who draw near. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10: 1, 14

Since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:40

God Enters In

Here is where the great goodness of God steps in and has existed all along. God’s ultimate plan, and His ultimate promise, brought back through the offering of Christ: Perfection. Where we drop the “ism” and become what we are truly meant for.

We can reassure our minds that the desire for perfect is a positive, life-giving, hope and direction by studying biblical principles. Twenty times in the New Testament I have found scriptures compelling us towards perfection. It lays testament to it here in our present days and also speaks of our progressive perfection, our sanctification. These scriptures also tell us how we take back our perfection, and that way is through Christ; His perfection, example, sacrifice, and the miraculous way He changes us.

In Christ, we are to leave behind the old and put on the new. Dropping the mind’s old covenant law of rules and toil, accepting the new covenant of Jesus’ grace and freedom. (For further study, these scriptures are listed below in entirety-and I’m quite sure there’s even more to be discovered!). 

We can’t afford to miss what God is revealing to us!

We have beginning access right now, right here on earth, to the perfection we so desire. It’s the origin of our walk back to perfection, back into the garden where God makes it all right again! Where we experience forward steps toward perfect. Working towards restoration of our original design, our perfection once again. Where our minds will be perfect in thought, bodies perfect in health, and our world will be perfect in its existence. No more mess of sin, no more views of self-loathing, no more Satan to distort the good and beautiful anymore. This is our legacy, our becoming present, and permanent future, as daughters and sons of the King: the perfect creation abiding with the perfect Creator.

Christ Enters In

When our eyes turn to Christ, we find perfection and sanctification, both in Him and in ourselves. We find the value and grace of the process. We find excitement and contentment in unearthing ourselves. Repairing the chasm of our discontent souls to the truth of our spirit.

Not being perfect (yet) is an invitation to live and love. To experience and explore. To have fun and open up. What seems an oxymoron, the very release needed for us perfectionists is to accept imperfection, to truly become perfection! It’s the idea that: I am content with who I am now, knowing that very person is free in Christ to press on to a better tomorrow, through the very mishaps and mistakes, flaws and failures of today. Sanctification. 

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:4

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Philippians 3:12

How We Press On

Jesus makes perfection possible and leads us back to the garden. Through Him, our walk each day gets better on this earth, but we have to choose it. Perfectionism says I will do this on my own, perfection says I got here because of Jesus. We have to choose to look to him for our help, for our example, for our self-worth. Our eyes on Him mean becoming more like Him-daily a step closer to perfect until we meet face to face in complete flawlessness for eternity.

And that is a message I can get behind. A message I get excited about, and a message worth telling myself and the world. Just as Paul stated to the Philippians in 3:12, I can say, I’m definitely not perfect, but I’m making it my own, because Jesus has made me his own. And I’m becoming comfortable with that. I love belonging to Jesus, and I’m beginning to fall in love with the person he created in me. There’s a delight in seeing who he has for me each new day and stepping out in faith to further become that person. I can’t wait to see how far I go from now until I return to the garden!

No longer denying myself, instead… waiting for myself.

Verses about Perfection (ESV bible version):

• Matthew 5:48
• Matthew 19:21
• 2 Corinthians 7:1
• Ephesians 4:13
• Philippians 3:12
• Hebrews 2:10
• Hebrews 7:11
• Hebrews 7:19
• Hebrews 7:28
• Hebrews 9:9
• Hebrews 10:1
• Hebrews 10:14
• Hebrews 11:40
• Hebrews 12:2
• Hebrews 12:23
• James 1:4
• 1 Peter 1:15-16
• 1 John 2:5
• 1 John 4:12
• 1 John 4:18