Perfectionism Trap

Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

Galatians 3:2-3

What a wonderful reminder that in no way, shape, or form can we be saved or made perfect by any works of our own. How about breathing a collective sigh of relief with me? I don’t know about you, but I often need to hear this encouraging truth.

You may struggle with a tendency toward perfectionism like I do. We need to recognize it and reverse our thinking when the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts.

God’s message about not trying to save ourselves was not directed to the pagans of long ago. He was telling early believers in Christ that they were not thinking clearly. They thought that obeying the Jewish law of circumcision was a requirement in order to belong to Him. But God freed those men and women (as well as us) from those restrictions when He sent Jesus to open the path to a personal relationship with Him, made accessible by Christ’s death on the cross.

Our relationship with God is not based on how perfect we can be. Only God is perfect. If you are feeling inadequate and weary because you feel you’re not keeping up with your Christian “to-do” list, tear it up in front of God right now.

“For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised [binding ourselves to a law that He canceled a long time ago]. What is important is faith expressing itself in love” (Galatians 5:6). Out of love for us, Christ gave His own life to make us free, so we need to value His gift and live in that freedom that only He can grant.

This truth is so exciting, I have to contain myself from yelling out loud and waking up my family!

Galatians 5:1 says, “Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.” Live in Christ’s freedom!