Help for the Christian Perfectionist

A couple of years ago, I wouldn't have called myself a Christian perfectionist, but I did consistently have a vague and underlying sense of perpetual guilt. I believed that the Lord was pleased with me because of my Savior, Jesus, but I also lived with a partly subconscious suspicion that he might also be disappointed with me.

Then, one spring morning, in preparation for a discussion of Faith Chang's then-upcoming book Peace over Perfection, I read the introduction and wept. I had never been able to put into words that never-good-enough feeling. I had always been told that I was too hard on myself or that I wasn't trusting God's word, leaving me feeling even more confused and stressed. When I read Faith's book, I just felt seen. She so accurately describes the feelings, worries, and doubts of the Christian perfectionist. Even better, she offers wisdom and help from God's word for those, like me, who struggle but still want to obey.

There are many, many gems in her insightful book, but I've pulled out some of my favorites to share as an encouragement to the Christian perfectionist.

"Many of the desires of the Christian perfectionist—to obey God perfectly, to always do what’s right for the good of others, to be the best version of ourselves—are in part a vision of the perfect world we were meant for."

"Beloved, none of God’s people have ever pulled a fast one on him, and neither have you. He knows you completely, and nothing you do or don’t do will lead to any disillusionment on his part."

"Our God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). And you who have tasted this mercy need not fear its supply running low. His mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3:22-23)."

"Sometimes, when we are plagued with guilt and anxiety, what we most need is not forgiveness or rebuke but discernment to know whether we are carrying a yoke other than Christ’s."

"If we took time to really think about who we would be apart from God and to consider the difference Jesus has made, we’d be in awe of how far we’ve come."

"We need faith because it doesn’t make sense that God would delight in people who continually fail him. It doesn’t make sense that the Creator of the universe would take pleasure in our imperfect obedience. It doesn’t make sense that God would die for sinners—and in some ways it isn’t supposed to."

If you'd like to read more, please grab a copy of Faith's book. I recently told a friend that I need to reread it soon, and she joked that she needs to reread it every month until she goes to be with Jesus. It's true that we may wrestle with Christian perfectionism until we die, but I'm grateful for sisters in Christ, like Faith, who can help us to love him more here and now.