Someone may claim to be a perfectionist, and another might assume that the other simply wants to do things as correctly as possible. Sure, many people strive for excellence. However, perfectionism is quite often a trap. Perfectionists may obsess over their appearance, constantly adjust something unnecessarily that was fine already, and more. It can also stop people from even beginning something because they doubt that it will be perfect.* Consider the fact that "perfect" is often subjective. More than the physical and psychological aspects, perfectionism can be a spiritual hindrance.
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| Imperfect blurred woods, photo by Cowboy Bob Sorensen |
A perfectionist may walk away from the Word of God and attempt to be spiritually or morally perfect by his own standard. This is rooted in pride. To be blunt, he is attempting to usurp the role of the Holy Spirit! There are ways to properly deal with perfectionism.
The biblical concept of perfect begins with spiritual regeneration when a sinner repents of sin and turns to Jesus in faith. It continues through the process of sanctification as the Christian grows (matures) in his relationship with God and in his knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, through the power and work of the Holy Spirit. Perfection is a process of becoming, and it is impossible to achieve without humility—a total reliance on the Holy Spirit to do his good work in you and guide you into righteousness.
You can read the entire article by clicking on "Perfectionism — What is the danger of striving to be perfect in our fallen world?"
* If I kept working at my posts until the wording, graphics choices, and other factors were perfect, the postings would be few and far between. Most likely, I would spot some kind of error later.