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Excellence and perfection are not the same things.  Perfectionism is feeling that nothing you do is or over will be good enough to please.  It is often the result of living with parents who were controlling, critical, or set extremely high standards.  Perhaps you grew up in a home with over-demanding parents and, consequently, felt that you never quite measured up to their expectations.  Now, subconsciously as an adult, you are probably desperately trying to win the approval of others by striving to be perfect.  David Seamands, in his book, Healing For Damaged Emotions, says that, “Perfectionism is a counterfeit for Christian perfection…Instead of making us whole persons in Christ-perfectionism leaves us spiritual Pharisees and emotional neurotics.  Perfectionism is the most disturbing emotional problem among evangelical Christians.”

 

Excellence, on the other hand, is doing your very best at whatever God has called you to do.  Excellence, unlike perfection, gives us the freedom to fail and learn from our mistakes.  Ecclesiastes 9:10 states, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”  Paul echoes this thought in Colossians 3:23 when he says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…”  What is your passion?  What are you good at?  Strive for excellence by discovering the inborn gifts, talents, and skills God has given each one of you!  (In my next blog I will teach on the seven motivational gifts found in Romans 12:6-8).