Six times I sat down to write. Each time I got back up, frustrated and irritated.
Almost daily I write posts for my own blog. Sometimes it’s harder than others to get the words out, but I always write something. Each time I’ve attempted to write this post, my words falter and my mind goes blank.
I want it to be perfect. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Allowing my fears and insecurities to hold me back, I’ve stuttered and stalled and stopped.
It’s not just with this post, either. Any writing opportunity I’m presented with, I turn away from. I’m not ready. It’s not time. Maybe later.
Excuse after excuse keeps me from giving it a try. And then I question God on why nothing is moving as quickly as I’d like.
If I wait until it’s perfect, until I’m perfect, I will never move.
The same goes for our Christian life. One of my favorite songs is the old hymn, “Come Ye Sinners.” There’s a line that hits me square between the eyes every time: “If we tarry, till we’re better, we will never come at all.”
There’s something in us that wants to put our best foot forward, to impress people with our knowledge and skills, to not fail. We forget that it’s not about us.
The Bible says that God uses the weak and foolish things of this world. His process makes sense; all the glory goes to Him.
What if Noah would have said, “God, I’m not really very good at building boats. Maybe you could wait until after I take a course on woodworking?”
Or Abraham and Sarah, “God, we’re not ready to be parents. Yes, I know that it’s been 75 years, but couldn’t we take a few parenting classes first, read a couple of books?”
God used David to slay Goliath — talk about imperfect opponents.
All throughout scripture we find instances of God using the broken, the misguided, the weak to fulfill His purposes in history.
So, instead of shutting down the Word document one more time, or backspacing through all the words I poured out, I choose SEND – Go.
Here I am Lord, send me. Even though I’m imperfect.
By Melissa Brotherton, Abide
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So true–if we wait until we are perfect, we will never be perfect … and we will never make a difference for Him.
I get tripped up in the quest for perfection, still, and when I trust that He will be in all I do there is greater courage and confidence–mostly in Him, because it is all about Him.
Rich blessings, Melissa, as you continue to trust Him…
It is all about Him! When I get sidetracked from that truth I also get sidetracked from His purposes for me. All to His glory. 🙂 Thanks, Amy!
Yes. This speaks to me. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading, Southern Gal!
“There’s a line that hits me square between the eyes every time: ‘If we tarry, till we’re better, we will never come at all.'”
i love this song, and this line gets me every time too. thank you so much for the reminder to release the anxiety of perfection into restful humility and fruitfulness.
God bless you.
There’s peace that comes every time I hear that line. Worship is such a great catalyst for soaking up His presence! Thanks, Tammie.
I’m so glad you hit SEND! 🙂 Perfectionism is something I deal with on a regular basis, too. I appreciate your honest words here. May we all have the courage to hit SEND more often on those things that perfectionism would paralyze us against following through.
Amen, Hope!
I love this! I too often never start many good things because I know it won’t go the way I think it should. So much wasted time. Today, I choose to move forward in my imperfection and EMBRACE it. In my weakness, He is strong. Thanks for the post!
Sometimes I feel like our stepping out in weakness allows others to do the same. I wonder how many times my desire for perfection has held others back because they feel inadequate. God bless you as you step out in the things He’s called you to!
I cried through this post. God’s timing is always perfect. I’ve recently been ready to hear him tell me I have issues with control and I’ve been processing this in every area and let me tell you…it’s in EVERY area!
Then I read your post on control – um. wow.
Thank you for being yourself and letting God use it. Something so simple can be used for so much good.
I love how God works! My prayers are with you this morning, Marilyn, as you embrace the freedom of living in His strength.
Congrats for finally doing it girl! Perfectionsim is so hard to get out from under, but you just took a great step!
Yay! This was a hard step for me, and you know even now I’m going back thinking I should have done something different. 🙂 Thanks for always encouraging me, April.
This is exactly where I live most of the time unfortunately. Frozen….waiting for perfection. Thanks for reminding me…Gotta step out!! Hit SEND.
I’m hoping it gets easier with practice. 🙂 Haha! Thanks, Amy!
Melissa, first of all I love that despite your insecurities and fear you stepped out and did something that you really wanted to do. You didn’t allow yourself to hold you back from a step forward for you. But I also love what you had to say about how we forget that it’s not about us. I know that this is constantly my problem… I forget that the world is not about me but instead is about God and what His ultimate goal and plan is. I pray that I would not forget that it isn’t about me and that this would allow me to step outside of my fears and insecurities to do what I want to do and what God can use me in. 🙂
What a great prayer, Kaitlin! I pray that same thing for you. God has showed me that not only am I holding myself back in my perfectionism, but also His will and others in their walk. Once we trust that He’s more than capable to do it all, we see that our participation isn’t necessary for Him, but for our growth.
If we were to achieve perfection, then who gets the glory? Not God, that’s for sure! Everyone has the need to be perfect in some areas of our lives. So we strive towards that, but can often times forget God. No matter how ‘perfect’ some people appear on the outside,we all deal with our own insecurities. What a great & refreshing reminder for all of us!
There’s so much truth in what you said, Christy! We all do deal with insecurity at some point. The lie that we’re alone in our fears and struggles is exactly what holds us captive in them. Thanks!
Oh My, what a wonderful post. I am so glad you hit “SEND”. You spoke my heart and I know the heart of many women. Something with our gender, built in our DNA that tells us we have to be perfect, and also impossible to achieve. It is soooo frustrating!
How on earth can the imperfect ever be perfect? Well because right now we are here on earth. God bless you and please keep hitting “SEND”.
Thanks, Caryn! It is always nice to know we’re not alone in our struggles. 🙂
It’s exciting for all of us who have been following your blog. We get to see you breaking from the shell and exploding into places you never thought you would go. Way to go, Melissa.
Woohoo! Way to brave the (in)courage waters and be the lone male commenter, Jason. 🙂 Thanks for your encouragement and support. 🙂
I am inspired.
“Here I am Lord, send me. Even though I’m imperfect.”
Thank you.
It’s exciting to think what God can do with us, once we get out of our own way. 🙂
So often I think *I* must be the one to make myself ready for anything God is preparing me to do…and I realize the only preparation I need is a willing heart, surrendered in obedience to His sovereign plan, to what He has called me to do…even when it looks like EVERYONE around me is more qualified. If I’m called, He’ll fill in the gaps!
Oh, that I would trust in more and say each day, “Here I am, Lord!” Even if He is sending me to the kitchen to make dinner or the laundry room to fold clothes. I want to be willing to go where He leads.
Loved seeing you here!
Beautiful truths, Melissa! And, so true, that what He calls us to isn’t always the glamorous, but rather the every day.
Melissa – great post! Thanks for pointing me to it.
My favorite quote says, “Perfection is overrated; particularly if it prevents me from doing something interesting.” As the world’s WORST perfectionist, the Lord has had to teach me that sometimes the path He has for me is a little messy, but that messy is okay. I am okay. He makes me okay.
Sounds like we may have that in common. Glad I’m not alone!
Great quote! Thanks for sharing that, Ally. 🙂 I need to put that up on my wall. Haha!
This sounds sooo much like me. It’s hard to put myself out there… it took me months to get up the courage to take even the smallest of steps to invite others to read my blog… I was so scared of receiving negative feedback (or no feedback at all!)
It takes time to learn that imperfect is OK. And to learn from the negative feedback too.
Thanks for these thoughts you’ve shared.
“I was so scared of receiving negative feedback (or no feedback at all!)”
This I connect with! Isn’t it interesting that our fear of imperfection has nothing to do with how God views us, but how others perceive us?
You got it, friend. I actually wrote about this very topic yesterday. I talked about how perfectionism (wait for it) is rooted in pride. Ouch!
I need to check that post out, Tony! I always enjoy hearing your perspective on the things God is sharing with you. 🙂
“If we tarry, till we’re better, we will never come at all.”
That really says it all, doesn’t it? Beautiful post, Melissa. It was perfect for me… and I’m right there with you…
“Paralyzed by perfectionism” is something that I think about – and deal with – a LOT. Thank you so much for this honest – and encouraging – post!
But Mary, you gave up on perfectionism… 😉 Haha! I’m glad that it was encouraging as well as honest, because sometimes they can be honest without being encouraging. You are always an encouragement to me in my struggle with perfectionism. 🙂
Oh, the irony. I read this post as a way to distract myself from a special writing project that has be sweating!
Thanks. And now, I’ll be going back to work.
Ewwie. I think you’ve been looking over my shoulder.
Have been sitting on that ‘invite to submit’ email for months now….fear gripping, twisting, tightening my neck muscles…
What if it’s not good enough? What if she says, ‘no thanks’ – what then?
Time to try. Time to begin.
Thanks, Melissa, for the gentle kick in the pants.
~Allowing my fears and insecurities to hold me back, I’ve stuttered and stalled and stopped.~
If there was a phrase that wrapped my life up into one simple sentence, this would be the one. So many times have I given insecurity and fear to have such a tight hold on me that they keep me from doing something that God might want me to do. All because I believed the stinkin’ lie Satan keeps telling me “You’re not good enough.”
Thank you for sharing this today.
Oh thank you for this post. You’ve beautifully described some of my own struggles with perfection & self-limitations. I’m slowly learning that it’s okay to not be perfect and perfectly okay to just be myself. This post was another must-needed dose of inspiration for me today.
Thanks again, Melissa 🙂
I’m so glad He uses the weak and foolish things to confound the wise. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have a shot. 🙂 Thanks Melissa. Great reminder.
Melissa, thank you for overcoming the struggle of perfectionism because your post was perfect and just wanted I needed to read!!