Father Geroge Rutler: A church saint updated content (2021)
Father george rutler: The adage “the best is the enemy of good” has been around for a long time. However, productivity experts recently added a twist to the saying, “the perfect is an enemy of the done.”
According to Father George Rutler, these sayings are true. We all know it. We all sometimes neglect to do the best we can because we fear not doing it right. It is what we call “perfectionism” in our culture.
What is Perfectionism? Father George rutler
Perfection is not the same thing as excellence. However, sometimes they blur. The distinction is when we are determined to achieve excellence within the given time, talent, and resources. Perfectionism, which is often pride or fear-based compulsion, can either drive us to perfection or paralyze us from doing anything at all. Both of these things can lead to the neglect of other essential or positive things.
Is there a reason for our perfectionist tendencies? It’s not always one thing. We are complex beings. It can be a psychological disorder or spiritual bonding, but it is possible to have it in some cases. Perfectionism almost always stems from our need for acceptance and fear of rejection. It can be an overconfident, pride-fueled fear of what others will think of you or a crippling fear of failure instilled by an abusive parent or authority figure. Sometimes it can be a convenient excuse not to do hard things if we are honest. It’s not perfection, but indulgence disguised as it is.
In our struggle against sin, perfectionism is a temptation that all of us face. The good news is that God wants to free us from the oppressive control of corruption.
“You must be perfect.”
To understand and believe this, it is necessary first to understand what Jesus said. It sounds contradictory: “You have to be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5,48). It sure seems like perfection is what this demands. It is. But it’s not.
Jesus made this statement in his Sermon On the Mount as the impossible culmination (fallen) of the humanly impossible standards for what it means not to sin in anger, lust, or divorce, swearing an oath and retaliation what is it mean to love our adversaries.
Just before he begins to preach about “perfection,” Jesus tells us what he meant: “Do you think I have come to abolish Law and Prophets? I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5,17). Jesus was sent to fulfill God’s call for perfection on our behalf.
It is why the New Testament authors wrote, “by one offering [Jesus] has perfected forever those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10.14). It is the key to understanding what Jesus meant and how to liberate ourselves from perfectionism’s tyranny. Jesus Christ has already bought our perfection because he perfectly lived, died, and rose again for us. God the Father is aware of our sinfulness, but he sees us as perfectly righteous in Christ.
God sees us as perfect because we are joined to Jesus through faith. It frees us from the need to win his approval or that of anyone else. As a result, we can engage imperfectly in the sanctifying struggle against sin.
The Bible is filled with imperfect saints
The Bible does not encourage perfectionists. Instead, it promises imputed perfection now (2 Corinthians 5, 21) and future perfection (Revelation 21, 3-4) as a gift from God’s grace. Thus, it will allow us to be free of perfectionism.
God is willing to go to great lengths to expose the clay feet of Bible’s faith heroes. Abraham, the great example of faith, has his Hagar episode. Moses, the tremendous Christ-like prophet, has his disqualifying rock episode. Aaron, the great Christ-like high Priest, suffers his golden calf tragedy. Peter, Christ-confessor and great apostle slip on his clay feet throughout the Gospels (Galatians 2:11-14). Acts and the Epistles offer a glimpse into the lives of the earliest Christians, but they are not perfect.
God is aware of our perfectionistic tendencies and temptations. Therefore, he filled the Bible with stories about his incredible and remarkable patient grace towards sinners who struggled with their sins throughout their earthly journeys. He wants us all to understand that we cannot achieve perfection in our behavior or motivation at this age.
Live free from perfectionism
God has something better for us than our fantasized visions of perfection. These only led to our slavery.
Perfectionism is a subtle but dangerous form of self-orientation. Perfectionism is driven by pride and fear to gain approval, so its main focus is on the self and not God or other people. Perfectionism is, in other words, not motivated by love and faith. Romans 14:23 says that “anything that does not come from faith is sin.”
God wants us to be free from pride and fear. Instead, he wants us to rest in the knowledge that all our past, present, and future problems are covered.
God does not expect us to have perfect behavior externally or internally in our battles against sin. Instead, God seeks love and faith. He knows that both are imperfect.
You are free to fight imperfectly
God calls us to the beautiful, refreshing experience of letting go of our self-preservation and measuring up and focusing on Jesus (12:2). He asks us to let go of perfectionism and to trust him fully (Proverbs 3:15). Suppose perfectionism is an overpowering influence on us. In that case, God will graciously design circumstances to stop our best efforts to defeat sin “successfully” until we discover where our freedom truly comes from.
Father George Rutler has a view that Christ is your freedom! You can follow Jesus imperfectly. You can choose to follow Jesus imperfectly. That’s because it’s the only way that you will ever fight for faith this age.
We must let go of perfectionism to be a racer of faith. God does not want us to be perfect, but he wants our focus on loving others and living a childlike faith (Galatians 5-6).
You are free to fight imperfectly- Father george rutler
God calls us to the beautiful, refreshing experience of letting go of our self-preservation and measuring up and focusing on Jesus (12:2). He asks us to let go of perfectionism and to trust him fully (Proverbs 3:15). Suppose perfectionism is an overpowering influence on us. In that case, God will graciously design circumstances to stop our best efforts to defeat sin “successfully” until we discover where our freedom truly comes from.
Father George Rutler has a view that Christ is your freedom! You can follow Jesus imperfectly. You can choose to follow Jesus imperfectly. That’s because it’s the only way that you will ever fight for faith this age.
We must let go of perfectionism to be a racer of faith. God does not want us to be perfect, but he wants our focus on loving others and living a childlike faith (Galatians 5-6).
Live free from perfectionism
God has something better for us than our fantasized visions of perfection. These only led to our slavery.
Perfectionism is a subtle but dangerous form of self-orientation. Perfectionism is driven by pride and fear to gain approval, so its main focus is on the self and not God or other people. Perfectionism is, in other words, not motivated by love and faith. Romans 14:23 says that “anything that does not come from faith is sin.”
God wants us to be free from pride and fear. Instead, he wants us to rest in the knowledge that all our past, present, and future problems are covered.
