Want a perfect life? Trust Jesus.

Thanks to Kathy Kolell, a friend from online learning ventures together, for sharing this devotional message.  Many of us need the reminder to stop stressing over how perfectly we can plan and carry out our lives, when we have a gracious God who has given us so many promises.

The Electric Gospel

Are You a Perfectionist?

by Kathy Kolell

Are you a perfectionist like I am?  I like to set the bar high and either move it higher or refuse to jump over it.  I’m usually sure that I can’t do it…whatever “it” is.  How does this happen to a Christian and how does a Christian respond?

Perfectionism presents itself in many different ways.   Often, you’d never know such thoughts are lurking in a person because we are classic overachievers who study hard until every “i” is dotted and every “t” crossed.  We are people who read the fine printed on the accept/decline notices on computer updates.  However, other times we procrastinate.  If we do manage to start a project, we have a hard time finishing it.

The fear of failing is the like a bogeyman that haunts everything.  One person might say, “Oh well, I’ll try something else.”  But we perfectionists are sure our lives are over if we fail.  If we succeed, however, then we will be responsible to keep up the success and build on it.

As a Christian I got caught in the trap of thinking about God’s Plan for My Life.   It is capitalized because obviously there is a plan for me and all I have to do is find it and act.  Then the pieces will come together.   But this thinking makes perfectionism worse. How would I know if what I attempted was God-pleasing or plan was the right one?

What does Scripture say?

Ecclesiastes 11:1 - “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.”  The note in my Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV) was captivating.  It reads, “Be adventurous, like those who accept the risks and reap the benefits.  Do not always play it safe.”  There is a verse about risk-taking in the Bible?  That seems to say it’s ok to at least try even if the outcome is unknown.

The second interesting verse was 2 Corinthians 4:7 - “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” The Self-Study Bible note reads that man is absolutely insufficient; God is totally sufficient.  This verse speaks about our salvation in Christ and everything else connected with being human.  Everything in our lives—our salvation, our work, our projects comes from God alone.  We are clay; vessels in God’s hands.  This is interesting.  Is there one, detailed, specific plan or do we do the work for each day and let God work out the rest?

In Matthew it is written, “Do not worry about your life … your heavenly Father knows” … everything (Matthew 6:25,26).  Every hope, dream, fear and concern.  A favorite verse in Romans assures us that God will use the failure and the success of our lives for our good:  “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

The same God that tells us to be adventurous, also tells us that everything…EVERYTHING will be used to bring his children into the likeness of his Son. That includes challenges, fear, failure, success and fickle feelings.

 There are many things about which the Bible is very clear in regard to how we live. We know the Ten Commandments.  We know that we are to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” and instead “be kind and compassionate to one another” (Ephesians 4:31,32).  But after that, God doesn’t care what city we live in, if we open a shop, go back to school, or buy a house because “in their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD determines their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).   God promises to use events in our lives to make his children more like Jesus. God will help us through any difficulty because when he looks at us, he sees his Son.  When we belong to Christ, our salvation is finished in him and our sanctification aims at drawing us ever closer to him. Excessive fear and worry is not from God, but God also uses the broken and the weak for his purposes.   We can live with weakness and fear because we say with Saint Paul, “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us when we are afraid and fearful.  Thank you for your promises that assure us everything will be made to serve your purpose and make us like your Son.  Thank you for giving us our unique personalities and loving us just as we are.  In your holy name we pray.  Amen.