There is no such thing as perfection, isn't aiming for it almost an insult to what you are right now?

Question

What if you choose to accept yourself and be yourself. Cherish all your faults, the ones that don't do any harm to others -- and don't change the things you love about life for the sake of trying to be perfect whether it be some impossible religious ideal or some impossible ideal of physical beauty or improbable wealth or similar, we will never be or achieve some of these things we spend so much time trying to be or achieve...just accepting this could make the life you have now a lot happier.

I value all the comments posted here in reply,a large part of my life has been spent trying to come up to my own perfctionist ideals and constantly finding myself frustrated and disappointed, since I started to accept sometimes giving not my best and being a bit less perfectionist I find I'm not so constantly dissatisfied, I know we all need to throw our hearts over the bar sometimes and push ourselves to achieve anything but it's not necessary every moment of the day and in all things...with this little rant I give you not my best.

Answer 1

I agree ... the pastor hear in town is infamous for saying "Strive to be more like God!"

Who the hell can match that? Does God really expect us to be like him? Was it a cruel joke he was playing ... making us "imperfect" then telling us to "catch up" ... I think not.

If we drilled your idea into more children, wouldn't the world be a better place? I think that's the answer to a more peaceful "perfect" future ... teaching our children that they are already "perfect" ... freckles, belly rolls, frizzy hair, big ears, ALL of it!!! The usage of drugs would decline tremendously! Violence would come to a halt ... ahh ... paradise :)

Too bad super models would be out of a job :)

Answer 2

I do agree with you, in at least the large sense. Overall, I think there is a balance to be found.

Somehow we have to learn to accept our own humanity -- that we don't know everything, that we are mortal (not immortal), that we are vulnerable, that we can't always succeed at what we do, even that sometimes we treat others badly by accident or even purposefully. That's simply part of the human condition. We will never be perfect.

Not accepting this part of ourselves is to assume that we are something more than human. We find ourselves condemning ourselves or others, constantly pushing ourselves and others farther than we should, never being patient with the realitiies of the maturity process. We don't give ourselves room to grow.

On the other hand, even while learning to accept ourselves where we are at, we need to motivation to change. We need to understand that, while we have flaws, we can also be better. We don't have to stay as we are now. We can be better. We could be better. And, maybe one day, we will.

As a Christian, I have had to come to terms with my own fallibility without condemning myself for it. That is a hard line to walk. For whatever reason, I am in an imperfect state. There are things about me that I can't change (my physical beauty, my wealth, the fact I will not succeed at some of the things I try), but there are things God has promised to change in me over time.

Ironically, that change only occurs when I admit and embrace my failings. Somehow I have to accept the reality of my flaws, while still believing that one day I will be something more than those. I think that's part of understanding that I am not God, I am merely human... and God promises maturity if I am willing to accept that imperfect state of being.

I think a lot of "religion" goes bad when it denies one aspect or the other -- when it either proclaims human beings to be perfect and "god" themselves, or when it constantly condemns human beings for simply being human and fallible.

We treat ourselves and others much better when we can accept all the ramifications of what it means that we are not god but rather imperfect beings.

Answer 3

God is perfect...and only Christ led a perfect life on this earth...as for striving for perfection in material things, i would have to agree...beauty fades, and wealth is only useful as a tool...the things that matter are what can't be measured by man...the Bible says that three things endure-faith, hope, and love-and of these gifts, the greatest is love...i try, using these gifts, to be more like Christ, but as an imperfect person, i fall dreadfully short...but that doesn't mean i stop trying...there's nothing wrong in setting goals to try to achieve, as long as you also have a sense of priority and balance...our old high school coach used to have a poster on his office wall that said 'aim for the sky and hit the fence-don't aim for the fence and hit the ground'...

Answer 4

You'd be surprised how many of your faults hurt others. What if your constant tardiness actually becomes a life threatening issue for a diabetic? What if your roving eye really hurts your girlfriend, far more than you realize? What if your inconsiderate nature causes a cheery person to become jaded? In a small way you kill that person's soul.

Improving yourself is always - ALWAYS - a worthy endeavour. Even if it is true you never get to perfection, you're really missing the point if you think that makes it futile.

Why?

Because it is the journey, not the destination, that counts.

Answer 5

Not such a bad philosophy my friend. I agree that perfection isn't possible, but we must always strive to be the best that we can be or there would be no such thing as progress. It is when we become obsessed with perfection that the problems do indeed exist. The answer is as you stated - rejoice in who and what you are and you will be a happier person.

Answer 6

Perfection is full age or maturity in God's Word.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Answer 7

Who says that there is no such thing as perfection?

God is certainly perfect. Therefore anything He/She creates would also have to be perfect.

You see your self as imperfect because you have been lied to about your source and about your nature. God creates out of the only thing that is real, his love. This is what you are made of too.

When you hear these words you know in your heart that this is true, somehow they still ring true to you in spite of all the lies you have been told to the contrary.

This is because it is Gods truth about you not some man made fantasy about sin and repentance. The simple truth of you is, that you and everyone else are a part of God.

When you actually start to realize this you quickly understand that to see any part of creation as being imperfect to see some part of God as being imperfect, as unacceptable.

Silly little idea isn’t it.

How could they have fooled me for so long.

Love and blessings your brother don.

Answer 8

Yes. Humans are by nature imperfect, and we should try to accept our faults instead of trying to deny them because someone says we should be perfect. A perfect world would be boring, and even if there was one, no human who exists as we are now could get in. So be satisfied with what you have instead of striving for something that you can never acheive. You will only make yourself unhappy.

Answer 9

I disagree with you. I believe there IS a such thing as perfection. Not in the way that people can see but in the way that God can see. Otherwise He would not have said for us to be perfect even as He is perfect. He would not tell us to do something that is not possible. That is not His character.

I will never be perfect in the eyes of others or even in my own eyes. But when I accept God's covering for my sin, He looks at the covering and He sees perfection because His covering is perfect.

So I am perfect to Him and that is all that really matters to me.

Answer 10

Jesus was perfect and christians have been instructed to follow Him. This means we need to attempt to get as close to Jesus' example as we can. We fail all the time, but we do not give up. If you don't try, you will never improve.

This applies to everything. I'd love you to tell an aspiring NBA star in college, to just accept how good he is now and don't try for anything better.

Answer 11

I strive for perfection. Many people strive for perfection. Its not about reaching it, its about journeying in that direction. When you try to reach perfection for validation or for conformity in a group then there isn't honesty in your pursuit and therefore you journey in vain because your journey is towards acceptance not perfection. That, I believe, is the problem with society as they create false faults that people strive to overcome, when in actuallity it is not a fault but a character. I believe a fault is a character that brings strife in your life and in the lives of people you cross (stealing, murdering, self-loathing, etc...) That I believe should be overcome, but characteristics which society may call faults (physical blemishes, social stigmas, etc...) should not be something attempted to overcome to reach perfection. I guess you would need to understand the standards of perfection before you are able to pursue it. Then maybe you can enjoy life more.