Our Struggle for Perfection

How often do we ask our spouse or children to help with a chore around the house and then when it isn't done...or not when we want it to be...or not the way we would have done it, we do it ourselves? Is God that way with us? Many times we put so much effort into little things that we forget about the BIG things. We can do this in our spiritual walk as well. God's timing is not always our timing and so we become discouraged and take charge of our own problem rather than wait for God to show us His solution.

We live in such a way that everything must be "just so" or we won't be able to accept it and possibly even lose sleep over it. We watch reality shows on hoarding and how to clean up our clutter or infomercials on how to store more in less space. When we compartmentalize in our lives are we also compartmentalizing with God? Are there doors that we don't want our friends or family members to look behind? Do we have doors that we don't want to open up for God to look behind?

The next time someone doesn't do things "our way" perhaps we need to stop and do a self check. Will the task be completed? Will the outcome be the same as if we had done it, perhaps just not as well as we would have done it? If the end result is the same, do the steps to get there have to be a cookie cutter image of our own? God made each of us unique and we all do things differently.

Ask yourself what type of fruit you are bearing if you never allow your children to learn life skills. God wants us to "please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God". Colossians 1:10b NASB

So lighten up and allow God's love and patience to flow through you as you teach  your children life skills without giving yourself the ulcers of perfectionism.

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. I Peter 2:20 NASB

Elaine Campbell, M.A.
New Hope Counselor