The Battle Against Perfectionismਨਮੂਨਾ

We have a large wall in our family room that is too big for an entertainment center so, we created a gallery wall of art instead. Our gallery wall is filled with pictures of friends, family, and meaningful pieces of art. Because we were on a tight schedule to complete the project before my daughter’s graduation party, we hung the pictures without any Command™ strips to keep them perfectly in place.

One morning, when I was reading my Bible, I looked up and saw the myriads of crooked picture frames on the wall and felt frustration at myself for not getting the project done to perfection. The Holy Spirit spoke this to my heart, "Amy, you should be looking at what is in the picture frames." As I looked up at the wall again, tears started to flow.

So many faces of people I care about, so many memories, and so much love is all over that wall. Life unfolds in crooked picture frames - imperfect circumstances that never quite align with our vision of how things should look. You can spend your days adjusting and readjusting, focusing on what's wrong with the frame rather than celebrating the beautiful content within it.

The gentle voice of God's kindness through His Word stands in stark contrast to the harsh internal critic that demands perfection. Where perfectionism condemns and creates distance, divine kindness draws us near and leads us to repentance. When you hear thoughts of guilt and condemnation echoing in your mind, recognize that these don't originate from your loving heavenly Father.

Reflection Question: What can you do today to give your full attention to God’s Word so that you can do battle with temptation toward condemnation?