A disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable; especially: the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness.
Source: Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary 2002
I was searching for a way to be perfect. A perfect house, a perfect body, to be a perfect mother and a perfect wife. I stumbled across a web site that I can't find now. There were a bunch of women that struggled with perfectionism. It wasn't what I thought it was. I thought perfectionism was a person that did everything perfectly and always looked and acted perfect. This was a group of women who were afraid to appear imperfect. They may not have looked or acted perfectly, or had perfectly clean and decorated homes, or spoke the correct words at the correct time. Some of them worked very hard at doing that, while others, just hid away from people so as not to appear imperfect. (That would be me, the second group).
There is so much pressure on us to be perfect. We see the perfect models, perfect Martha Stewart types, entertaining and keeping their homes immaculate. Then there's those popular, funny, intelligent people, that everyone wants to be around and be like. Is any of that real?
These people aren't perfect. The perfect model has problems and flaws, she can pick herself apart just like the rest of us. I read about women who needed their homes to be perfect and never let anyone come over because they didn't want their homes to be messed up. Comedians who are so "up" and outgoing on stage come crashing down eventually, leaving their families to deal with the fall out.
I discovered something a little while ago. I have flaws (sounds of shock and amazement fill the room). God forced me to look at those very things I denied were true for so long. It was initially hard to look at and admit, but when I did, I felt free to be just who I am without the pressure of being perfect.
The difficulty comes when I'm around other people. If I forget to pray and spend some time with God first, so He can remind me who I am. I start to look for approval from the wrong place and when I mess up and say the wrong thing, or my hair isn't right, or I spilled coffee on myself, It just starts to matter too much and I feel like a failure. But my Father God knows me and He always loves me and He can see who I am inside.
If I can remember that, the whole world could dessert me because I'll always know that I have Him to turn to, He's always there by my side.
4 comments:
Mo, I don't think everyone expects us all to be perfect. It would be nice in a perfect world, and of course if we ourselves were perfect, but we already know that none of us is perfect...only God. The kewl thing is as you said, God is always right there by our side and if we remember that we will never be alone.
Don't think of yourself as a failure. You're in the place where God wants you to be, and if God is leading us, even if we aren't perfect, how can we possibly be failures with God on our sides!
I think you're pretty special!!
Good points both of you.
Thanks Donna, I think you're special too!:)
I agree Hayley! I wonder why it's so much easier to accept other people's imperfections. I think I like Martha more, now that she has a flaw (I know she has more than just that one, but the others weren't as scandalous). It makes her seem human. I think I like everyone more, as I begin to see thier flaws. It comforts me to know that I'm not the only imperfect one.
love the new design mo... its.... perfect.
Funny! Glad you like it.
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