The Problem with Perfectionism by Rick Warren “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4 LB) When you learn how to relax in God’s liberating grace and break out of the prison of perfectionism, you will find a new level of joy and freedom in your life. Why is this? Because perfectionism is destructive to your life in several ways. 1. It defeats your initiative. Have you ever had a project you haven’t been able to get started on? You think, “One of these days I’m going to get around to it,” but you just can’t take that first step. One possible reason is perfectionism. You’re waiting for the perfect circumstance or timing, until the kids get out of school, or until a certain amount of money comes in. When you set your standards so high, perfectionism causes paralysis, and you can’t get anything done. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:4, “If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done” (LB). 2. It damages your relationships. Nobody likes being nagged or corrected all the time. It’s frustrating and irritating! The Bible says, “Love forgets mistakes; nagging about them parts the best of friends” (Proverbs 17:9). Perfectionism — the desire to always correct — damages relationships, because it’s rooted in insecurity. Perfectionists who are harsh and demanding on other people are really harsh and demanding on themselves. 3. It destroys your happiness. Ecclesiastes 7:16 says, “Don’t be too virtuous, and don’t be too wise. Why make yourself miserable?” (GW) He’s not talking about genuine righteousness or real wisdom. He’s talking about perfectionism. You can take any virtue and make a vice out of it by taking it to the extreme. Your worst nag lives under your skin, because people are their own worst critic. Since we tend to resent and even dislike people who nag us, if you’re always nagging yourself, what does that say about you? It says that you don’t like you. You think you’re not good enough. And you think reminding yourself what’s wrong with you is going to motivate you into doing the right thing. It’s not! That’s called perfectionism, and it causes you to constantly put yourself down. There’s only one antidote to perfectionism. It’s not in a self-help book or a doctor’s office. You can only learn to relax when you fully experience the liberating grace of God. Talk It Over What perfect conditions do you need to let go of so you can move forward? Why is it important for you to be able to relax? What does it say to people who are not followers of Jesus? What negative thoughts about yourself do you need to replace with God’s promises and truth about who you really are? *** *** *** Enjoy today’s devotional? Listen instantly to the full audio message at RickWarren.org/listen. Did someone forward this Daily Devotional to you? Get your own free subscription to The Daily Hope Devotional, your daily inspiration via email. Our Gift: Son of God Study Kit What is your #1 goal in Life? Your answer to that question will reveal your dominant life value. Everyone has one whether they realize it or not. Its what we unconsciously base our decisions on. Find yours... MORE Good News About Grace: Complete Series You cant understand the Christian life unless you understand grace. It is the heart of your faith and your relationship to God. In this series, Pastor Rick helps you understand the many expressions of grace so you will not just understand it but experience it and the joy it brings. MORE This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including “The Purpose Driven Church” and “The Purpose Driven Life,” read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional ©2014 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Follow Us: Follow Pastor Rick on facebook and Twitter. This message was intended for: adisalaw2006@yahoo You were added to the system July 30, 2013. For more information click here. Update your preferences | Unsubscribe
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 18:14:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015