“Actually, no one is perfect – apart from Jesus. But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son to die for us.” – John 3:16
We are far from perfect, yet we are in constant pursuit of perfection. Why is that? Why do we feel the need to have perfect grades, a perfect life or that perfect job? God knows that perfect people do not exist. In fact, God’s people were far from perfect.
The apostle Paul explained an even more profound reason to let go of our own efforts to perfect ourselves: it can blind us to our need for Christ.
Paul had learned this the hard way. After years of striving to perfectly obey God’s law, his encounter with Jesus changed everything (Galatians 1:11-16). Paul realized that if his own efforts were enough to be whole and right with God, “then there was no need for Christ to die” (Galatians 2:21). Only in his imperfection could he experience God’s perfect power.
We will always be a work in progress. If we were perfect, we would not be in pursuit of the one true perfect God. This is why God is in constant pursuit of our hearts. He wants us to fix our eyes to Him. God’s love for you will always be unconditional. There is nothing you can do to make God love you less. The next time you feel imperfect or feel you don’t have the perfect life, remember that God’s perfect love will fill those empty spaces. His perfection is enough, and your imperfection draws you back to Him.