Perfection
- Jul 29, 2024
- 3 min read
Have you ever worked on an important project and everything had to be perfect? Some of us may obssess with perfection. The type where you easily become discouraged and are difficult on yourself. You become your worst critic at times. Well, this is not the type of perfection you will read about today.
The type of perfection I'm referring to is that which will provoke you to whole heartedly follow Christ.
“Jesus answered him, “If you wish to be perfect [that is, have the spiritual maturity that accompanies godly character with no moral or ethical deficiencies], go and sell what you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me [becoming My disciple, believing and trusting in Me and walking the same path of life that I walk].” But when the young man heard this, he left grieving and distressed, for he owned much property and had many possessions [which he treasured more than his relationship with God].”
Matthew 19:21-22 AMP
Perfection comes when you forsake the pleasures and desires of life for Christ. You know our God is a jealous God? He desires nothing more than having you! His loves runs deep. The problem with the young man from the above scripture is not that he had riches, possessions, and properties, its that he treasured those things more than God. You cannot serve two masters. The truth is that God wants the body of Christ to be wealthy. However what He does not want is for wealth and possessions to become a god/idol to you.
The test to pass is when God asks you to give up that very thing you want to hold onto so dearly. It may not be money, it could be anything you exalt above God. When He finds that you don't hold them in your heart, God will release it to you and in greater measure. Read about Abraham, the father of nations. He wasn't tested with money but his son Isaac. God requested him to offer him up as a sacrifice which sounded strange and Abraham was willing to give him up no questions asked. He simply trusted God. He did not argue and say "God after all these years of waiting in my old age for a son and now that I have him you are asking me to give him up?". Abraham WHOLLY obeyed and God blessed him with nations. As believers of Christ, we all come from Abrahams seed. God was able to release a mighty blessing because he did not withhold or make an idol out of Isaac.
The scripture also tells us:
“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48 NIV
Perfectly follow God with all your heart, mind, body, spirit, and soul. Perfection before God means you are walking on the same path as Christ. This may itch some of you. Good! It's the conviction of the Holy Spirit nudging you on a particular area. Have you obeyed His voice? Is there an idol in your life that He asked you to give Him and you said no? What are you holding onto that is more important that God? Allow God to take first place in your life.
There was a time in my life, God asked me to give up my daycare and I loved my students so much and the business I was doing, yet God said close it down. I did not understand why but I understood that God loves me too much to put me to shame. I understood that God would never ask me to do somthing that would harm me only to advance me although it did not seem like it in the moment. That was the beginning of a new journey for me.
Trust God 100% He cannot fail you and never will. He knows your tomorrow better than you do and its glorious if you choose perfection today.
This scripture helped me greatly in a season when I had to let everything go:
“Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.”
Psalms 34:5 NIV
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