Perfectionism

Are You A Perfectionist?  

Today many women strive for goals that can never be met. They get into the perfection syndrome. They work themselves day and night trying to prove their worth. Satan wants women to look to the false foundations of the world to experience fulfillment.  When women look to these false foundations, they become depressed and begin to feel hopeless.

What are these false foundations of the world?

Possessions-How much do I own? The world says that if I get a better house, a better car, or nicer furniture—I will be valuable.

Performance-How do I perform? The world says that if I get a job in the business world and climb to the top of the corporate ladder—I will be valuable.

Position-How important am I? The world says that if I perform better than others—I will be important.

Appearance-How I look? The world says that if I am beautiful and keep my youth—I will be happy.

Check out this list of traits of perfectionists.

1. A perfectionist is never satisfied. She has to be the best!

2. A perfectionist is critical of other people and tends to be an idealist.

3. A perfectionist ruins fellowship with others. She begins to compare –

             – If she feels inferior, she becomes jealous, threatened, and insecure.
– If she feels superior, she becomes proud and conceited.

4. A perfectionist sets impossible goals.

5. A perfectionist values herself by what she does and what she has rather than who she is “In Christ”.

6. A perfectionist feels guilty if she ever relaxes.

7. A perfectionist has irremovable guilt and has a hard time accepting a compliment or criticism.

Here are some guidelines to help you if you are having a hard time with perfectionism.

Remember God has accepted you by grace

Ephesians 1:6 says, “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.” It is not by your possessions, performance, position, or appearance that you are accepted. You are accepted by God’s grace, not by your striving.

God is not a God who wants you to do more and more or run faster and faster in order to please Him.  If you’re trying to earn your acceptance before God by these false foundations, you will always be disappointed.

If God accepts you, learn to accept yourself.

Listen as Jesus whispers to your spirit,  “I love you, and I accept you. I don’t love you because you’re valuable; you’re valuable because I love you.”

Accept other people.

Don’t demand perfection out of others because they can’t give it. Let God be God. There are so many so times that we try to be the CEO of the whole world. When we begin to accept other people, we will free them and free ourselves to be all that we can be. When we get out of the performance trap we won’t do less, we will end up doing more. Why? Because of our love for our Savior!

If you are having a problem accepting yourself, review this list daily!

Who Am I?

I am the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)

I am the light of the world (Matt. 5:14)

I am a child of God (John 1:12)

I am part of the true vine, a channel of Christ’s life (John 15:1,5)

I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15)

I am chosen and appointed by Christ to bear His fruit (John 15:16)

I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father (Rom. 8:14,15; Gal. 3:26; 4:6)

I am a temple–a dwelling place–of God. His Spirit and His life dwells in me (I Cor. 3:16; 6:19)

I am a new creation (II Cor. 5:17)

I am reconciled to God and am a minister of reconciliation (II Cor. 5:18,19)

I am a son of God and one in Christ (Gal. 3:26,28)

I am an heir of God since I am a son (daughter) of God (Gal. 4:6,7)

I am a saint (Eph. 1:1; I Cor. 1:2; Phil. 1:1; Col. 1:2)

I am God’s workmanship–His handiwork–born anew in Christ to do His work (Eph. 2:10)

I am righteous and holy (Eph. 4:24)

I am a citizen of heaven, seated in heaven right now (Phil. 3:20; Eph. 2:6)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3)

I am an expression of the life of Christ because He is my life (Col. 3:4)

I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Col. 3:12; I Thess. 1:4)

I am a son (daughter) of light and not of darkness (I Thess. 5:5)

I am a holy partaker of a heaven calling (Heb. 3;1)

I am an alien and stranger to this world in which I am temporarily live (I Pet. 2:11)

I am born of God, and the evil one–the devil–cannot touch me (I John 5:18)