Good News for Perfectionists By Kim HylandSample

Day One

Good News for the Perfectionist

Scripture: Philippians 3:7-11

Our salvation is the most powerful moment in our lives. We receive this gift, the gospel of grace, that literally brings us to life and equips us to live every day. The gospel proclaims that as we humble our hearts, we receive forgiveness for our sins. As children of God, we’re promised his sovereign care, provision, and peace. 

While salvation is a free gift of God, the gospel calls us to a life of sacrifice—and even suffering—but always hope. Its truth becomes our standard, and we are equipped for the spiritual battle we’ve always fought anyway. The difference is now we are on the offense—and winning side. 

This gospel story of God’s great love and grace through Jesus and its proclamation, promise, price, and power are at center stage when we first receive the gift of salvation. The gospel of grace has all our attention. 

And our enemy Satan knows if we stay in that place of deep truth, dependence, and reliance on our Father—this deep awareness at the foot of the cross of his grace and our sinfulness, the forgiveness we receive, and the love exchange that takes place there, that place focused on God’s grace—we will become a real threat in the spiritual battle. So he goes to task creating distractions, counterfeits, and whatever he can to get our eyes off grace. 

Because of Satan’s deception, too many of us are living in the strength of the flesh and the spirit of slavery. We are fearful and impotent in our spiritual lives because of a flawed understanding of sin and who we are in Christ.

The gospel—or good news—is God’s perfection and righteousness given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. You probably already know that, but do you see how perfectly that news fits with your imperfection? Every single day! 

The crux of the gospel is this exchange: God’s righteousness for our unrighteousness, his holiness for our sin, his perfection for our imperfection, his amazing grace for our lawlessness. We don’t need to be perfect because God already is. What does this good news look like in your life today?

In what areas of your life do you need to reject perfectionism and embrace God’s grace?