Young People Ask . . .How Can I Stop Trying to Be Perfect?

Perfection-An Attainable Goal?

First of all, is it possible for you to be perfect in the absolute sense?  Not according to the Bible, which says:  "There is not a righteous man, not even one . . .All men have deflected, all of them together have become worthless." (Romans 3:10-12)  Thought provoking words, aren't they?  They indicate that anyone who tries to be absolutely perfect is going to fail. 

Consider the apostle Paul, who obviously was an outstanding example of spirituality.  Yet, even Paul couldn't serve God without error. He confessed:  "When I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me.  I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within, but I behold in my members another law warring against the law that is in my members." (Romans 7:21-23) It as only with God's help that Paul could be faithful as a Christian.

Fortunately, God neither demands not expects absolute perfection from any of us.  "He himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust." (Psalm 103:14) Only in God's new world will humans finally reach the state of imperfection.  

Next time: Young People Ask . . How Can I Stop Trying to Be Perfect? -Revised Expectations

From the Awake! magazine, 2003