A Letter To Perfectionism

Written by Heather Broughman

Dear perfectionism, 

You are not a friend to me. In fact, in many ways you are my enemy. 

You and your unrealistic demands, telling me that anything short of flawless is unacceptable and considered failure. Your nagging voice makes me second guess myself. I waste hours and hours trying to meet the standards that you set. Sometimes the thought of what you might say stops me before I even start, not wanting to fall short. 

You stifle creativity and slam the lid on my dreams. You are nothing but a liar and a thief. You’re like a milestone that I’ve placed around my own neck, a prison that I have willingly entered and locked myself in. But no more! 

I have come to see you for what you are. A hindrance, a nuisance, and my adversary. 

God created me, fearfully and wonderfully, and He gets the final say. From now on, I’m choosing His voice instead of yours! 

He looks at the heart and values effort. Instead of isolating and putting me down, He is right there beside me, ready to help as soon as I invite Him to step in. He calls me to holiness and excellence, but not perfection. And these standards that He’s set, He made a way for me to attain them. 

Where you always put me down, He always calls me up. When you direct my attention to what I lack, He directs my attention to what I have. With Him I know that He rejoices to see the work begin, that my value is not attached to my work, and that He is gracious to me. Instead of being a prison, His standards actually bring freedom. 

He removes the caps from my dreams and says the bigger, the better. He fosters and encourages creativity because, well, He’s the most creative being there ever was or will be. And today I write to let you know that I choose Him. I choose His voice over yours. I no longer agree with your standards, but with His. You are dismissed and no longer welcome! 

Sincerely, 

The Redeemed, (Insert your own name HERE)

My prayer for you today is that if you struggle with perfectionism in any area of your life, that today would be a day of freedom for you! No longer would you allow perfectionism to set the standards for you, but that you would come into alignment with the standards that God has set for you! And that you would receive His invitation to not go it alone, but allow Him to help and partner with you in pursuing the dreams He has placed in you and to create with the Master Creator Himself!