Monday, November 7, 2016

Ending Perfectionism Step 4: Life Is an Experiment, Not a Test

Cast your bread upon the water. Eccl. 11:1


By: Carol McClain @carol_mcclain


Life for me is about commitment. If I volunteer to do something or I decide to try a new endeavor, something inside of me compels me to keep with it--even if the act makes me miserable.

My first church underscored this trait. It taught God wanted a committed people. Of course, I took it to the extreme.

Believing life's a test and not an experiment leads to two issues if  you struggle with perfectionism/legalism.

  1. You commit to nothing because doubts about being able to do a good job of it paralyze you.
  2. You find yourself laboring in areas that God does not want you to work in, and hating it.
For example, I love babies. I volunteered to work nursery because I longed to play with the children. The kids' director asked if I would work in the kids' worship. Being unable to say no, I agreed, but this wasn't God's path for me. While I loved the children, I began to dread the Sunday's I worked.

I had several choices:

  1. spend my limited time doing something I wasn't called to do
  2. learn to hate the second Sunday of the month
  3. believe I was a failure because I couldn't keep my commitment
  4. decide this wasn't my path, choose another and love my service to Christ.
I chose #4

Life's not a test. Experiences aren't a done deal. 

  1. Try different things.
  2. Be willing to change paths.
  3. Sacrifice when God is telling you to.
  4. Love the life God has given.
Are you struggling on a path you don't like? Is it of God? If not, how can you change your direction?

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