An Expectation of Perfection

Have you ever noticed that we human beings have a tendency to compare? We compare prices and features to get the best deal. We compare political platforms and voting records to choose the best candidate. We compare our material possessions to those of the people in our lives or the celebrities we admire. We compare our current jobs to our dream jobs. We compare our talents to those of the people around us or the celebrities we admire. We compare our friends and friendships to determine who we want to spend our time with. We even compare ourselves to ourselves!
Don’t get me wrong… I believe comparison has a time and a place (when you live according to a carefully planned budget, comparing prices to get the best deal is a must!)… but I’m becoming more and more convinced that we are addicted to comparison. At least I am… And usually when we compare, something is found to be lacking in some way or another.

Lately I’ve realized that a year has become a significant period of time for me. I very often find myself thinking about what I was doing or where I was a year ago. And I usually find myself comparing me now to me then. I guess that has the potential to be a good thing because it’s a good way to see how God is working in your life. Unfortunately, my tendency is to focus on the negative things that still haven’t changed or haven’t changed enough according to my opinion. So my comparisons leave me discouraged because I find myself lacking… And I always will because I will never measure up to the standard of perfection that I have set for myself.

I’m still not sure where that standard came from… when I implemented it. But it’s made my life pretty miserable over the years. It’s gotten to the point where trying to name my strengths has become almost impossible. And I realized the other day that I’ve been projecting the expectation of perfection onto my friends… I have a tendency to expect perfection from them in certain areas, but I’m also starting to believe that they expect perfection of me… No wonder I struggle with my self-worth! In a world where comparison and perfection rule the day, I will never be found worthy of love and acceptance.

But see… comparison and perfection shouldn’t rule the day. God rules the day… and He’s not about comparison or perfection at all. He already finds me worthy of love and acceptance because I’m His child. Nothing I do or don’t do can add to or subtract from that love. He promises to remove my sin as far as the east is from the west and then to forget it. He’s not sitting around comparing me in this moment to me last week or last month or last year. And He’s certainly not expecting perfection either. He’s giving me each day to live out of a desire to reflect His glory to the world around me, and He has more than enough grace to cover me when I mess that up.

I was given a picture as a birthday gift that says “New day. New hope. New joy.” It’s now hanging in my living room where it’s the last thing I see as I head out my door each day. I believe this needs to be a truth we speak to ourselves on a regular basis. Stop the comparisons of past to present. This is a new day. Live it out with the hope that God will faithfully continue the work He is doing in your life (cause He will) and the joy of reflecting His love and glory to the world around you.