Scripture is full of references to God’s perfection. We are told that “He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just” (Deuteronomy 32:4). We know that God is perfectly faithful (Isaiah 25:1). We acknowledge that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17).
But there’s a big difference between God’s perfection and our tendency toward perfectionism. Perfectionism is the subtle belief that others will think more highly of us if we are the ideal wife, the expert employee or the model Christian. And yet this isn’t the perfection that Scripture urges us toward.
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| What Perfectionism Tells Us | What the Bible Tells Us |
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If we do everything well we will be loved |
We are already loved |
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If we don’t make mistakes we will be happy |
Our happiness lies in the Lord You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. (Isaiah 26:3) |
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If we’re good at what we do we will be successful and admired |
The goal of life isn’t worldly success |
| We are stronger and safer when we’re in control |
God values our faith in Him more than our faith in ourselves |
The Bible tells us that no matter how hard we try, we will never measure up on our own. It’s only through the sacrifice of Christ that we are made holy (Hebrews 10:14). God loves us perfectly—and only in accepting that love can we made complete.
