a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable; especially : the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness.
Did you get that? – personal worthlessness! Oh how this must grieve the Lord when He sacrificed so much for me and I dishonor Him by not accepting His free gift
of grace, but instead look to myself to be perfect.
What excellence really means is to exceed expectations, surpassing our previous quality, merit and skill each time it is approached. Excellence transcends normal limits. To go beyond a limit set by one’s previous achievement, going beyond what is expected. Those are great things to aspire to. But when we think that means we have to be perfect, we will be paralyzed with fear and will fall short.
My favorite little devotional book, Jesus Calling speaks to me when it says, “Wear My robe of righteousness with ease.” I’m not to be squirming around in it as if it is uncomfortable. I have never seen it that way before. That is what I have always done in my quest to be a “perfect” Christian. Judging myself for every move I make, feeling my prayers are inadequate, judging my feelings and thoughts thinking they are not what they always should be. I can apply this to so many areas of my life. What I am really doing is getting my eyes off of Jesus and onto my imperfect self, beating myself up because I’m not perfect.
I finally see that God doesn’t even expect perfection out of me like I do of myself. He doesn’t hang His head over heaven and say, "There she goes, she’s messed up AGAIN! What am I going to do with her!!!" No, He will always find some gentle way to get the message to me that, It’s okay…I still love you…just learn from this situation - and move on!
In the same way, when I neglect to do something He wants me to do for fear of not doing it perfectly, I’ve completely missed the mark. He wants me to approach things however it’s natural for ME to approach them with spirit of excellence – NOT perfectionism. That means not how I think someone else would think is right, but how He leads me is right. If He wanted a thing done like someone else, He would have asked someone else! I am unique and my way of doing things might not be like anyone else and that is perfectly okay! That realization is more freeing than you can imagine.
In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor. ~ Ephesians 1:7 AMP
He forgives our shortcomings because of his generous and gracious favor! Having His favor is all we really need. The rest will take care of itself.
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