Letting Go Of Perfectionism

I don't always agree with what Miley Cyrus says, but I definitely agree with the title of her song, "Nobody's Perfect!"

We all know that nobody is perfect, so why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to get everything right?

Maybe you've caught yourself thinking, "If I can't do it perfectly, why even try?" Or perhaps you set high expectations for yourself, and when you fall short, you're quick to criticize yourself.

I think most of us can relate!

Here's what makes perfectionism so tricky. It can look like we're simply trying to do our best, but sometimes there's something deeper going on.

Perfectionism can be rooted in shame—the belief that our worth depends on how well we perform, what we accomplish, or how few mistakes we make.

And when we inevitably fall short, that familiar voice creeps in:

"See? You're not good enough."

But here's something I really want you to understand: God doesn't expect you to be perfect before He loves you.

He already knows your strengths, your weaknesses, your struggles, and every mistake you've made. And He loves you!

That doesn't mean He wants us to stay exactly as we are. God wants us to grow, become more like Jesus, and make choices that honor Him. But that growth doesn't come from constantly criticizing ourselves or trying to earn His approval.

It comes from trusting Him, accepting His grace, and being willing to keep learning.

Think about how this applies to your everyday life.

Maybe you planned to exercise four times this week but only managed two. Instead of thinking, "I blew it. Why bother?" you can be thankful for the two workouts you completed and make a plan for next week.

Maybe you lost your patience with someone you love. Rather than beating yourself up all day, you can apologize, ask God to help you grow, and try to handle things differently next time.

Making a mistake doesn't mean you've failed. It means you have an opportunity to learn and grow.

I love this quote from Brennan Manning:

"God not only loves me as I am, but also knows me as I am. Because of this I don't need to apply spiritual cosmetics to make myself presentable to Him."

Isn't that a beautiful reminder?

We don't have to pretend we've got everything together when we come to God. He already knows us completely.

One of my favorite things about our Faithful Workouts pilgrimage retreats is having hours to walk from village to village. There's something about being away from everyday distractions that gives me time to think, pray, and reflect on what God is teaching me.

Sometimes I'll play worship music as I walk, and I remember hearing the song "Running Home" and being especially touched by its message about giving up the exhausting effort to be good enough and finding perfect love in Jesus instead.

That message has stayed with me.

We spend so much time trying to be good enough, when what we really need is to remember how deeply we're already loved.

So today, give yourself a little grace.

Celebrate the progress you're making, even if it's slower than you'd hoped. Learn from what didn't go well yesterday, but don't let it determine how you feel about yourself today.

God isn't finished working in you, and you don't have to be finished growing.

I also want to encourage you to make time to watch the recording of a live teaching event we've included in the lesson below. We talk about how to overcome shame, understand your true identity in Christ, and move forward in forgiveness.

You'll also find a helpful handout below that goes along with the video. It's full of practical information and questions to help you apply what you're learning. I really encourage you to take some time to go through both!

Remember, you don't have to earn God's love through your performance. You can grow and change because you are already loved.