I recently started this book, You're Loved No Matter What by Holley Gerth. I haven't made much of a dent in it yet, but I can honestly say that I would have never thought of myself as being a perfectionist. This book's focus is on how many women try so hard to be perfect - whatever that is - and how that chains us up instead of allowing us to be free to be who we are created to be.
What stuck out most to me, in what I have read, is how life is more like a GPS. You have options on what route you'll take to get you to your destination. Just like there isn't one specific, perfect way to get to one place, there isn't one specific, perfect way to get to heaven. There will be moments that you are re-routed because there is an accident up ahead. You have the choice to continue towards the accident or you can follow the new route that has been given to you.
For me, it's easy to get wrapped up in "am I doing the right thing" and "is this the way I am supposed to go". I end up getting stuck in the idea of there being one perfect, narrow path that I am supposed to take. And that I have to do everything I possibly can to follow that path and there is no other way. There is no blazing a new path just because I'm bored with the path I'm on. All paths have already been paved, but it's up to me as to which one I take. God has already okayed these things to happen. Nothing is a surprise to Him, even if it is for me.
Now can the GPS life get messy? Sure. Life is messy, as is everything in it. So why do we worry so much and get locked up by the idea that everything has to be perfect? We should trust God and listen to the instructions. But you can't hear instructions if you don't take time to listen (another thing I am not always great at). We need to take time to spend time with God - time in prayer, time meditating on His word, and time in simple silence.
While the book I am reading has a target audience of women, I don't think for a second that there aren't men out there who struggle with the idea of always being perfect. So I hope that there are some guys who made it to this point. Hopefully I didn't lose you at the beginning by stating I was reading a book for women (or something along those lines). I think we all have little perfectionists within us. It looks like different things for different people.
But know that God loves all of you. Your journey does not have to be picture perfect and you don't have to be perfect either.
Everything happens for a reason - it's cliche I know, but it's true. And for the most part that reason is growth. Even if you have reached adulthood (aka grown-up status) by legal standards, you are not done growing. There are always ways that you can grow in character and in spirit. Just take some time to listen, meditate, and sit in simple silence.
Until next time...
Kara