Choosing Trust Over Perfection

Perfection. So many of us chase it, yet none of us ever attain it except one: Jesus.

I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to be perfect and then beating myself up when I fail. I mess up a lot. Every single day. Maybe I let the dishes sit, avoid the laundry, forget to clean the bathroom, snap at my husband, or say something a little off-color. I’m my own worst critic. I fixate on my mistakes, swallow guilt and sometimes shame, and start to wonder: Could God still love me if I keep doing this? Is my faith too weak for my prayers to matter? Have I crossed some invisible line and God’s had enough?

If that sounds familiar, you are not alone.

I catch myself comparing, thinking other people are better Christians, more “put together,” more successful, and then I feel like a fraud. I see my many faults and sink into despair. But then I open my Bible and everything shifts.

I read about people just like me, flawed and failing, and yet God used them. How did that happen? I believe it comes down to trust.

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Trust Is a Choice

Trust is not magic, it is a choice. Choose to step out and trust God in something small. Ask Him to show you one thing, and then believe He will.

It is scary, especially when you know your own mess, but that is the beauty of who God is. He saw all our brokenness and still sent Jesus to pay the price for it. He knew our past, our present, and our future, and He still chose us. That tells me He sees something in us we cannot yet see ourselves.

God made us, gave us gifts, and has a purpose for our lives. Even our mistakes are not wasted. He redeems them and can use our hard stories to help others. Nothing in our lives is wasted. He turns even the bad choices into something that can serve His good purposes.

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A Steady Foundation in a Shifting World

So choose to trust Him. His Word is the only firm foundation in a world of shifting sands.

Culture changes, trends fade, and even the language we use evolves. My Gen X sisters remember big hair, tight-rolled jeans, and Pauly Shore. Middle schoolers today are saying things like “skibbidi toilet” and “Ohio riz.” Everything around us is constantly shifting, but God’s Word remains the same. True, steadfast, and everlasting.

When everything else shakes, His promises hold. So, choose to trust Him and trust His Word.

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A Prayer for You

For the woman who is saved:

“Lord, thank You for this woman who belongs to You. When her heart grows weary from striving, remind her that Your grace is enough. Strengthen her faith to trust Your Word, even when her feelings waver. Show her that she does not have to be perfect, she only has to rest in You. Fill her with peace and joy that overflow into every part of her life, and let her story reflect Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

For the woman who isn’t saved:

“Father, You see this woman’s heart, and You know her doubts and her questions. Thank You that You love her right where she is, and that Jesus died for her so she can be forgiven and free. Lord, help her to see that Your Word is true and that Your love never changes. Draw her close to You. If she is ready, give her courage to pray: ‘Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. Forgive my sins, make me new, and help me live for You.’ And let her know she will never walk alone again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”