Free Yourself from the Struggle of Perfection

I am NOT perfect!

Whew. Let me say that again. “I am NOT Perfect!”

If I could be honest with you all, this is probably the biggest thing I struggle with the most in my walk: the art of perfection.

Perfection causes me to beat myself down over sins that I’ve committed years after the fact even though I’ve repented and asked God for forgiveness. This whole concept of perfection causes me not to be able to walk freely in that forgiveness.

I so often find myself wondering after I’ve sinned, why did you say that, why did you do that, now you can’t take it back, what were you thinking, you can’t be like that and profess to be a Woman of God, you can’t straddle the fence, you can’t be luke-warm and now you’re not worthy. Not worthy for God to use you for his kingdom. You’re undeserving.

…And while we shouldn’t be luke-warm there is a difference between straddling the fence and making mistakes. And that’s why God died for us. Because he knew that we, as human filled and sinful that we are, would make mistakes.

So I stand before you walking in my truth (FINALLY). I am NOT perfect by any means. Occasionally, an inappropriate word or innuendo slips out. Every now and then I like to turn up with my friends and a turn up involves an occasional twerk (I mean if we’re going to be real, let’s be real here). Sometimes, I gossip. A few times that dress or skirt could’ve been a little longer. Sometimes, I have cared more about the love and hip hop lives in Atlanta than I have about making God a routine part of my day. Oftentimes, I hit that snooze button 3 times thus missing the 30 minutes I set aside daily to speak to God and end up having to do a drive by quickie with him, only giving him a minute or two while my computer is turning on at work.

Am I perfect? Heck no.

Am I work in progress? Most definitely.

A lot of folks will have you believe that in order to walk this walk with God, you MUST have it all together.   Well I am barely hanging on by a thread at times and God still hears my prayers and answers them. He still pours out his blessings on my life. And most of all, he still loves me.

None of us are perfect.  We are all with flaw. We are all sinful by nature.  But we must choose to ask and accept God’s forgiveness in our lives.  Even further than that, we must learn to WALK IN THAT FORGIVENESS (I think I’ll do a future post on this topic so be on the lookout).

Now I want to encourage you.  For anyone out there who also struggles with perfection or always finds yourself beating yourself up for things that you have done, don’t you allow yourself to be discouraged on your walk or allow others to make you feel shamed of what you may have done (or not done) in your life. We ALL make mistakes. Some that can be fixed but most that can never be erased.

You just keep striving.  I don’t think our God looks for perfect people anyway. He will meet us right where we are.  And some of the bibles greatest stories have even been told through the eyes of imperfect people (e.g David, Paul/Saul, etc).

Instead, I think God focuses on progressive people. Are you progressing (i.e. growing ) in your walk or are you stagnant – comfortable in your own sin?

Remember,  progression over perfection…

-V.Davis