This is for the perfectionist. 

I may not know your specific struggle, but we can probably come together on how we think. 

The enemy wants you to focus on your flawed self so much that your obsession with “holiness” mutes your effectiveness. This self-fixation is a dangerously sneaky form of pride. 

Part of becoming mature and complete in Christ is acknowledging that He is your holiness and perfection for you. This gives you permission to walk closely with Jesus, ingest His Word, and act boldly for Him, even if you sometimes bumble around and fall short. 

This is not a license to sin. This is a license to stop living paralyzed by fear.

God knows your heart better than anyone. 

He knows when you appear close to Him, but your heart’s a mess. 

He knows when you appear a mess, but your heart’s close to Him. 

If you’re genuinely loving Him, you’ll have to be okay with imperfectly loving Him. 

We are imperfect creatures loved by a perfect Savior. 

This is about relationship with that Savior—not about always being right.

“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:15-18 NIV.)

*Follow paigepippin.com for more encouragement.