Striving toward perfection - not a bad thing. Scripture says, "Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) [Perfect here means mature or holy.] Does this mean we are never to make a mistake? Of course not!
No one who has or ever will walk on this earth is perfect, except Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:1-2 - "Be imitators of God therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us . . . . . ." Yes, we are to strive toward perfection - strive toward being Christlike.
However, many of us deal with the negative side of perfection. I certainly have! It's not pretty. It is a control issue and is not something of which to be proud. Since perfection is unattainable, what happens when a perfectionist wants a perfect house, the perfect children, the perfect family, the perfect friends, or the perfect church? Lots of disappointments are in store for the perfectonist unless he or she accepts the fact that nothing is perfect and no one is perfect.
I confess, I would love to keep a "perfect" house or should I say I use to have that desire. Right now the word dust has been on my to-do list since day before yesterday. Maybe it will happen today, but if not, I have learned to live with a less than perfect house. Why? Because it is unattainable. Dirt happens. Messes happen - they are a part of life.
The "perfecton" that I desire today more than anything else is to become more like Jesus - be an imitator of Him. That has eternal value.
The blog LOOKS GREAT, kiddo. Very pretty - and very feminine.
ReplyDeleteI read this post the other day and should have taken time to comment then - you know how I can relate!! OMGoodness - how many many years I did not recognize perfectionism as a control issue! Lord, restore the years the locusts ate!
Thanks Kay for this reminder. I too struggle with this and have regrets for it but...it is never too late to change and I try to strive to be more like Christ like his word tells us to. I might fail but I dust myself off and try again. Praise the Lord he gives us many chances. Love in christ.
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