Perfection VS Perfectionism
Sometimes it feels like God’s plan is too hard. We are told in Matthew 5:48 “be ye therefore perfect.” Is this really possible? Yes! If one tries really hard, can they make themselves perfect? No. So now what are we supposed to do?
I love what President Nelson taught:
“Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love him and keep his commandments.
In D&C 67:13 it says, “Ye are not able to abide the presence of God now, neither the ministering of angels; Wherefore, continue in patience until ye are perfected.”
This describes well that perfection is a process that takes time as we personally strive to progress. God’s plan provides a way for us to become perfected through his grace and this is only received as a gift from him and only after the resurrection.
If we try to be perfect without God’s help, we are described as a perfectionist, and this can actually hurt our progress as well as our personal happiness. There is no doctrine in the church that says that we need to be perfect today, yet many feel the pressure to be without flaw – in appearance, in parenting, at work, in lesson planning, and in every area of life we can think of. Perfectionism is not about being perfect but about fearing that you are not enough as you constantly compare yourself with others. This can be a normal tendency for highly motivated people, but it needs to be overcome— especially when it involves self-criticism – which is NOT a Christ-like characteristic. We need to be kind to ourselves and remember that everyone is a beloved child of God who is deserving of love, forgiveness, and patience—and that includes you.
In our last General Conference, I appreciated Elder Kearon's talk where he said, “Everything about the Father’s plan for His beloved children is designed to bring everyone home.” ……He does not put up roadblocks and barriers; He removes them. He does not keep you out; He welcomes you in.” Elder Kearon also explained that “the intent of the Father’s great plan of happiness is your happiness, right here, right now, and in the eternities. “It is not to prevent your happiness and cause you instead worry and fear.”
We need to trust God. We need to trust the atonement and the love and mercy of our Savior. We need to trust that He will redeem us, and we must stop listening to that critical voice inside of us and start listening to the Savior and the words that he taught. I have a testimony that God loves all of his children, and this includes you. His gospel is a gospel of love, mercy, and our personal development as his children, and this takes a lifetime.
