When I set out to be a writer, I didn’t realize I would also learn how to stop being a perfectionist. I didn’t believe I was good. It took me three years of blogging to feel comfortable sharing my work.
Y’all, this is after graduating High School and college, writing numerous papers, and starting a successful home-based preschool business. I don’t say that to list my accomplishments, but to say, from the outside, it looked like I was doing well.
It looked like I could do anything. Inside though, I wasn’t confident.
I didn’t see my full potential the way God did or maybe everyone else around me. I second-guessed every decision and, as a result, stayed stuck in the cycle of “it has to be perfect”.
Even in writing my first devotional, I stopped and started many times. I worried that the message wouldn’t resonate with you. Or worse yet, after leaving my heart on the page, it would get trampled on.
Years ago, I wouldn’t have had the courage to write anything and share it. I limited myself.
Why?
Because I was scared, not confident, and striving to have it be perfect.
So, how do you stop being a perfectionist?
Somewhere along the way, I realized three important things
I had to follow God
When you follow God with your whole heart, mind, and body, he leads you to where he wants you to go. Have you figured out yet what God wants for your life? Not yet, join the Live Your Godly Purpose Workshop Series.
When you are ready to listen, he continually shows you how to move to the next thing He wants you to do.
Am I still scared?
YES!
But I know that by not listening to God’s call, I am limiting myself and the desire he has for me. I feel like I am sinning against Him when I don’t listen to his desires for my life.
Another thing to realize when you want to stop being a perfectionist…
He wants to give you an abundant life.
To take what God is offering, you have to step out on faith even when it’s hard and scary. God is calling you to what he desires.
When you allow God to dwell in you, you are transformed and then; able to share abundantly with those around you.
Once you realize that you are worthy of all that God has for you, God will show you exceeding abundantly more than you could ever have envisioned. (Ephesians 3:20)
He does this because he loves you so much and wants to show the world who is really in control. You can’t do it on our merit. It is when you trust and listen to God’s call for your life that he gives you the life he has planned for you all along.
He knows our plans
When you learn how to stop being a perfectionist, you will begin to rely on God. Since God created you, he has the best plans for you and your future. It is your job to follow him and find out where he is leading you.
However, since the beginning of time, society has struggled to keep following God. Since God knows your future, you know you can trust him.
Do yourself a huge favor, go ahead, and shed the lie that you have to be perfect right now.
God knew you were going to struggle. He knew you would mess up. God is teaching you from your mistakes. He isn’t looking for you to be perfect, only to love him the best way you can.
Sis, when you think about being perfect, remember God knows we will fall short, mess up, or even stray.
He also knows that he chose you, calls you, and loves you beyond measure.
So start to lay down the need to be perfect because he loves you anyway. In doing that, a layer of yourself can peel away, revealing more of the you that God created.