2Co 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 

Shortfall – when Love Turned Perform

• Our desire to show up perfection – better than others, come from the shortfall, we inherited from sin
• We hear sink or swim, perform or perish from parents & teachers
• We also remember when we attempted our first get up or crawl, when we fall – we were encouraged with hugs to try again. Faulty steps were cheered.
• When did that stop & every move or attempt was an examination for grades

 

Call of the Gospel

• Call of the Gospel was pitched in the context of healing the broken
• Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
• Luk 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,  (19)  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

 

Adam & Fig Leaves

• Hiding behind our best fig leaf or behind many trees – without coming to God for clothing
• Perfectionism dumbs praise – because not enough
• Perfectionism obstructs faith – ‘cos can’t be sure
• Perfectionism blocks love – ‘cos not perfect
• Pfm works against forbearance – can’t wait anymore; it must be done now
• Pfm obstructs all the fruit of the spirit because perfectionism is a work of the flesh

 

Poor in Spirit or Perform Perfection

• Mat 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven – continual neediness.
• Mat 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. – quick to own up rather than cover up
• Mat 5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth – submission rather than my strength, God’s way & not my way.

 

Needing More

• Mat 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
• Mat 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
• Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
• Mat 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

 

Don’t Resist Evil

• Mat 5:38-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  (39)  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  (40)  And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  (41)  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  (42)  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

 

Being Perfect Without Competition

Mat 5:43-48  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  (44)  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  (45)  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  (46)  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  (47)  And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  (48)  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

Perfectionist sees the error quickly

• Be perfect – Gk teleos = complete, mature
• We are to be mature in hos we deal with human shortcomings of others. Knowing how much we need grace
• Reacting to weaknesses of others, as if we have none – is the problem of perfectionism
• We feel better when we can spot other’s error
• Perfectionist sees the error quickly
• Slow to praise & quick to criticize
• Make other’s in my “perfect” pose

 

Need for Repentance

• “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.‘
• Suffering the wrong doing, is the way to Jesus likeness
• Bless them that curse you
• Perfectionism sees a dark line in every silver cloud. Grace sees a silver line in every dark cloud.
• Perfectionist is right in all what he does
• He does not see his need for repentance
• He will justify his position – legalism

 

How Quickly Can You Say Sorry

• Turn your other cheek means, when the otheris wrong, you apologise for your 10%, rather thn exact recompense for her 90% culpability
• When I turn to grace, the other receives grace to turn
• When I turn to law, I block the other
• Please list your relationships that are uneasy because you are reacting
• Identify your cold shoulder, re a person who has not measured up to your code
• How quickly can you say – I am sorry

 

Magna Carta _ Liberty

• Magna Carta of Id 61:1-3 & Lk 4:18 – specifically cite the disabled
• God pushes us to consider the marginalized
• We could be quick to judge a prominent Christian who child may be disabled
• We may be quick to judge others on what we hear, see on news
• We may hold strog views on those who are on the other side

 

Work & God

• We also may be very conscientious for work but do the minimum for what God calls eternally important
• Gal 5:17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

 

 

 

 

THE THREE TYPES OF PERFECTIONISTS

1 Self-oriented perfectionist—You hold unrealistically high expectations of yourself and battle with feelings of guilt, often obsessing to the point of inefficiency. You’re prone to procrastinate and struggle with deep feelings of inadequacy.

 

2 Externally-oriented perfectionist—You believe others expect you to be perfect. To cope with the pressure, you often use self-deprecating humor as a defense. You often feel alone, depressed and desperate because you know you will never be enough.

 

3 impossible standards. Because you tend to lack empathy, you often tear others down or use abrasive and demeaning humor toward those who don’t meet your standards.  (Parents, Some)

• Mary & Martha
• BECAUSE THE PRESSURE IS OFF
• Choose people over perfection.
• Luke 10 à Mary and Martha (Show verse or not)
• ⁴¹ But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! ⁴² There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10 NLT
• Take the pressure off—Amy and House!
• Pillows not right—Socks floor—Pee toilet seat! (Toilet might not flushed)
• Mask for Insecurity
• THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF PERFECTIONISM
• Sounds like a psychological problem—Root it’s spiritual!
• Perfectionism is the perfect mask for insecurity! (Covering for sin!)

 

• Not What I Can Do
• FUMC—leg asleep—Change robes
• Christ + Nothing.
• Perfectionism                                        Grace
• What I do                                    What Jesus has done
• About me                                              About Jesus
• If I obey God will love me                     Because God loves, Can obey
• Win God’s approval              Living from God’s approval
• Grace/Jesus takes the pressure off!
• Choose perfect love over
  perfect performance.
• Choose perfect love over perfect performance.
• Perfectionism is covering for your deepest fears.
• You fear: Inadequacy, Rejection, Intimacy.
• Chose people over work
• Chose people over arguments
• God loves you for whom you are for whom Jesus died