It is the enemy of productivity, often keeping me stuck.
It exposes a heart that still struggles to rely on God.
It reveals a spirit of excellence that is vulnerable to contamination by pride.
If I am going to start this blog, it’s got to be done right. I’m not interested in producing a perfect effort. I want to produce a perfect product! “Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord”. It is serious business for me that I represent my Father well.
Sounds noble, right?
Yes, it pleases God when we work at everything we do with a spirit of excellence. He loves that I work with a desire to please Him. He appreciates that I want to make Him look good. But He also knows me down to my core; pleasing God hasn’t always been the motive for my striving. As I’ve worked diligently to bring this blog to life, I’ve had to constantly refocus on the bottom line. God told me to do this, and I just need to do it. It’s easy for me to hide behind my scriptures, and try to put a holy spin on my tendency towards striving for perfection. God doesn’t require me to be perfect, He requires me to be holy!
And so I put forth my best effort, focus on doing what God asks of me, and I trust Him with the rest.
Denouncing perfection, I avoid:
Doubt and Fear. This destructive duo almost always visits at the same. They say “are you sure this is what God meant? You can’t do it. You aren’t that great at writing. You don’t have anything important to say. No one will read it.”
Comparison. The opportunites to compare are endless: site design, theme, structure, content…and that is just getting it up and running. They will only compound once I ‘go live’ with measures of response, and metrics! Comparison quenches passion and authenticity.
People-pleasing. The temptation to try to figure out what people expect, or to write something that is acceptable to everyone constantly knocks at the door. Looking away from the masses, and focusing on the Master helps to ignore that knock.
Pride. Striving for perfection almost always has its root in preserving self-image. It says I am fully capable, I am perfect. Humility acknowledges that my sufficiency comes from Christ and He alone makes me worthy and able. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, so…
Frustration. Frustration is the weed that chokes out all creativity. It’s the thermometer that reminds me to remember my assignment. Am I trying to do too much? Am I trying to do too much, too soon? What is required of me right now?
Delay. Striving for perfection results in delay at the very least, and abandonment at the very worst. My best may not be perfect, but it’s good enough.
Say it with me, “I don’t have to be perfect, I just have to be willing”. Obedience is the end game. Perfection is the distraction. There is liberty in knowing that God makes up the difference!