Perfectionism Will Only Make You Miserable

Yesterday, I preached about Martha (Mary’s sister) who was serving Jesus, but was troubled with many things and anxious about much. (Luke 10:40-41) She is to be commended for her service, although we cannot overlook the flaws that Jesus mentioned:

"But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,” (Luke 10:41, ESV)

When a heart to serve is taken to an extreme, we find the flaw of perfectionism. Perfectionists find it hard to live with others who do not live up to an elite standard, as well as their own failures. This results in continual striving for excellence in every facet of living. 

Dr. Jeremy Pierre, professor of biblical counseling at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, notes that the natural end of perfectionism is:
exhaustion, 
discontentment, 
fear, and an 
absence of joy.  

You can read his article on perfectionism by clicking --> here <--

If you suffer from perfectionism, there is no easy cure. It takes self-examination of your heart’s response to stimuli, especially that of imperfection. Compare your responses to the life-giving messages in God’s Words. Humble your ideals to God’s Word, allowing His declaration of our fallen human condition to influence the way you think and react to things that fall short of 100%. 

“In the end, perfectionism is the ongoing attempt to need Jesus less.”