As we go through this amazing gift called life, somewhere along the way we get lost. We forget the all important truth that we are human…sinners even. Yet, we still struggle with imperfection. We strive hard through long days to be perfect in all things. Our words, actions and thoughts must be perfect…if not we label ourselves a failure.
Perfectionism is the enemy of being real. It desires to cover up the times we mess up, the days which we wish were only a dream and the words we’ve spoken that paines ones we love. Yet, perfectionism doesn’t make these things change…it simply hides them. Sometimes it doesn’t even hide them well.
Perfectionism makes you believe you’re the only one, no one else struggles as you do and nobody fails as much as yourself. Everyone else has it together. Yet, they are just like you. We’re all just living in a world of seeking and seeing perfection. The reason we fail to see anyone else’s flaws and failures is because we’re all playing hide and seek. We don’t really want anyone to seek though…then they would know the real me…the flaws and the failures…the imperfect me.
So, if we’re all imperfect why do we strive to be something we aren’t? Why do we feel the need to feel we are better than someone else? This struggle…this race to the top…it’s killing us. Our relationships are dying.
God begins to lose His rightful place in our lives because we’re striving to be that which only He is. Perfect.
Isn’t this the very thing that brought Lucifer down low…to the lowest state he could be placed? His seeking to be as high and perfect as only God can be? We too must be brought low, whether by our choice or as God’s reminder of us being imperfect.
Being imperfect is not a flaw…it isn’t a failure. It’s truth…it’s God’s design. He desired us to want and need Him, what could a perfect creation need from God? He desires relationship with us and it is dying because we chase after the perfection which we’ll never attain. Do we really believe we can reach the heights of perfection? If we were but honest with ourselves, we would see it is an unreachable place. No matter how hard we try or how close we believe we can get…it is a lost cause…this chasing of perfection.
God calls us to change the world for Him. We’re to point all to Christ. When we make our lives appear perfect by playing “hide but please don’t seek”, then we we’re taking the focus from Him and placing it on ourselves. We must stop this daily journey of seeking to rise to perfection. We must embrace ourselves as the imperfect daughter of God that we are. Only when we bring ourselves low, living life as God designed for us to will we shine. Shining in all our imperfection…being real flaws, failures and all. Living life full of God’s grace which we need for our imperfect lives each day. Building relationships by refusing to play hide and seek, by allowing the real us to shine through.
Grace is given to the imperfect children of God. His grace is by which we can life fully each and every day. Imperfection is beautiful for it’s how God created us and He made all things good.
it is a lost cause…this chasing of perfection. YES!!!! Yet, we participate in comparing ourselves with others. Time for me to let it go! Thank you for sharing, Misty! Glad I am your neighbor at The Time-Warp Wife today!
Yes, it is indeed a lost cause! We are so in need of not participating in the comparison game, it would be one BIG thing we could let go of, if we would just do it! Thank you for stoppin by Kaylene <3
We all are imperfect and in need of much grace… from God and others… and we need to give grace. Thank you for your words.
Yes indeed! Grace is needed by us AND from us to others! Blessings Gentle Joy!
The closer we walk with Jesus – – we will become perfect in his sight. I am so glad that He loves us no matter what. Thank you for sharing your lovely post with us here at “Tell Me a Story.” At: https://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/
Amen! Me too! How deep the Father’s love for us! <3
Your post brings to mind something I learned a few years back, ‘don’t compare your insides to someone else’s outsides’. I find that’s helpful when I start playing the compare game in my head. Also, I like to think that it’s ok to be imperfectly perfect! 🙂
Stopping over from Wednesday Whatsits!
That is from Jill Savage! 😀 I love that! It is ok to be imperfectly perfect, that is how God designed us! 🙂 If we were perfect we would have no need for Him. Blessings!
Thanks for linking up today! I’m a recovering perfectionist myself and loved your message! It is so important to live in grace!
Thank you for stoppin by 🙂 I too am a recovering perfectionis 😉 Blessings!
I love this!
“Grace is given to the imperfect children of God. His grace is by which we can life fully each and every day. Imperfection is beautiful for it’s how God created us and He made all things good.”
I struggle so much this. I often think I can’t be a disciple of Christ b/c I have done so many shameful things in the past. But it is by His Grace that I am made whole. Thanks for the reminder! btw, I am stopping by from the Wow Me Wednesdays link up 🙂
Grace truly is the key to living a fulfilled life in Christ! Once we’re able to grasp the depth of the grace and love God gives us, then we can truly begin to live! Blessings Michelle!
This is great – we try so hard to be/to look perfect…. and yet only God is perfect… could we be giving a wrong idea to people around us… that being a Christian means trying to be perfect? We need to show that God’s grace is sufficient and that we will serve and trust Him. 🙂
Yes, that is exactly right! We must be real so that others will know and see the difference in Christians! Blessings Gentle Joy! 🙂
Wonderfully put, Misty! I am so grateful God loves me in spite of my imperfections. Loved this —> “Imperfection is beautiful for it’s how God created us and He made all things good.” So glad to have linked right after you at Thought Provoking Thurs. 🙂 Blessings!
Yes! Imperfection is beautiful because God made it! 🙂 What a wonderful truth! Blessings Joanne!
So true. Perfection is elusive and never to be achieved by us. It is a lie with deep roots that have to be pulled out from time to time as needed. Visiting from Hearts for Home. Have a good day, Linda
Yes, we can not achieve perfection and the roots go deep. Thank you for stoppin by Linda! Blessings!
I think everyone struggles with trying to be perfect. Thanks for the encouraging post!
Yes we do, the world throws it at us every day. We must come to realize that perfection is impossible, but freedom is in Christ! Blessings Elizabeth!
I struggle with this on a daily basis. Everything in the world tells us we have to be perfect- perfect bodies, perfect marriage, perfect parenting, perfect (insert any area here). It’s not realistic and it takes a heavy toll on people. Thank you for such an inspirational post!
Yes it is EVERYWHERE! It is “killing” women, relationships and more! Remember that you are perfectly imperfect, just as God designed you! Blessings Sarah!
I heard a definition of perfection that I liked. It means being “whole”. I think we become whole through Christ, and that is something that I can attain. Thank you for a thoughtful and beautiful post. We all need more of this!
Yes indeed! In Christ we are made whole! <3 Blessings!
Thanks for this today. Blessings! Visiting from Joy Dare.
You’re welcome 🙂 Thank you for stoppin by <3 Blessings Michelle!
This was really beautiful. I even shed a few tears after my day today. Thanks for your words.
<3 Tears bring healing <3 Hugs and prayers Tammy! <3
This is beautiful! Truly! Perfection and grace are two of my all-time favorite points of discussion. If we refuse to acknowledge our flaws, we are not only lying to ourselves but calling God a liar. He sees our sins, yet He sees us as beautiful. He calls us to see ourselves as He sees us; He wants us to see our flaws and our beauty. He wants to capitalize on the beautiful aspects of our character and give us the strength to overcome our flaws and glorify Him. None of that comes through perfection. It only comes through His grace in the midst of our imperfection. <3
P.S. Visiting from That Friday Blog Hop!
Yes! Grace in the midst of our imperfection! Amen! These two are two of my favorite topics as well Brittany! Blessings!