Set Free to Live Free: Breaking Through the Seven Lies That Women Tell ThemselvesSample

Day Three: Perfectly Imperfect

The definition of perfection is to finish without a flaw. Perfection implies there is a right way and a wrong way to complete each goal; there is one route to excellence; there are no allowances for interpretation, no creative freedoms, no liberties to take, and no opportunities for growth. Perfection closes the door on the boundless possibilities given to you in the Word of God. 

Breaking out of this mental box depends on an understanding of Psalm 119:96, which tells us, “Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit.” This verse discusses two key points. The first part implies that nothing and no one on earth is perfect. Only God is perfect. 

The second part of the verse implies that only the truths of the Bible have no limit. Scripture alone has the ability to produce a perfect effect within our lives and hearts. It does not matter how much you practice, how hard you strive, how much you spend in the pursuit of perfection—it will always remain a distant moving target, an unobtainable goal. Perfection within our lives can be extracted only from the truth of God’s Word. Time spent meditating on principles that edify and equip produces growth within your spirit that allows new vision, new dreams, and new concepts. It gives you the ability to break free from the confines of perfectionism and move into the open space of excellence.

Instead of pursuing an elusive level of perfection, we would save ourselves a lot of disappointment and discouragement if we pursued excellence. Excellence goes beyond boundaries and limits. It is a concept that is open for exploration. It allows for individualized levels of excelling and calls us to go beyond our past experiences into uncharted territory. It surpasses prior expectations. Excellence is not confined to certain areas of life. It encompasses your career, your relationships, your personal health, and every choice you make.

An attitude of excellence helps guide our day-to-day decisions. Ecclesiastes 9:10 encourages us to do whatever work we have before us with all of our strength. Excellence requires an effort on your part, but the rewards are many. It improves your self-esteem, builds your self-confidence, ushers in positive feedback from others, and leads to success. Excellence is an inward competition with yourself. There are no losers, only winners, since you are the only participant involved.

How do perfection and excellence differ? How will cutting the ties of perfectionism affect your life?