I used to have a real problem with perfectionism. I was never satisfied with anything I did and had an internal voice that constantly made me work harder. I’ve chilled out a lot this year as Father has taught me that He never asked me to be perfect. It was something I was expecting of myself.

‘Even perfection has its limits…’ Psalm 119:96

Recently a friend of ours shouted out a phrase in church that made me smile:

He said, “There is no such thing as failure. Failure is merely deferred success!” Do you feel like a success at the moment? Does your life feel characterised by triumph or by despair? Are you on top of the world, or in the depths of the valley? Maybe you are half way between the two?

High standards and attention to detail are indeed commendable; they show we take pride in what we do. However, when we spend our lives finding fault with ourselves (and others) or obsessing over how we ‘could have done it better’ we are far from enjoying the blessings of God. It is said that after delivering one of history’s most magnificently crafted speeches, Abraham Lincoln described his Gettysburg Address as a ‘flat failure.’ Maybe if he could have viewed it as it is seen now, he would have thought about it rather differently.

Perfectionists see opportunities to perform as opportunities to fail, so even when they do reach their goal there’s no sense of accomplishment, or achievement. Certainly, none of us will ever attain perfection this side of eternity. We need to simply get used to, and allow for that fact. After all, we only ‘…know in part…’ in this world. (1 Corinthians 13:9 NIV).

I used to not even attempt something unless I knew it would be a success. One day, a lady in my house group said something that really struck me. I was talking about the fact that many Christians have not learnt the art of saying ‘no.’ She looked at me, very pointedly, but graciously before saying, “And some have not learnt to say yes, in case they fail.”

Ouch!!

Attempting something new and being forgiving of yourself, whilst extending that same grace to others is far more holy. If we have reasonable expectations of ourselves and others, we are much more likely to be fun to be around! After all, it is the flaws and imperfections of ourselves that determine both our humanity and uniqueness. The truth is, God doesn’t judge our mistakes as we do. He ‘…remembers we are only dust…’ (Psalm 103:14 NLT).

I recorded a live album last year in the height of pregnancy and a personal private trauma. I can hear every quiver, every ‘not quite true” note I sang. But I am learning that it is these imperfections and vulnerabilities that touch people as they listen. Weakness is disarming. Brash overconfidence or arrogance is downright ugly and has no place in a child of God. BE GLAD TODAY THAT YOU ARE MADE TO BE HUMAN.

‘Try again.
Fail again.
Fail again better.’
Samuel Beckett