Perfection’s Not a Requirement (Whew!)

Hi, I’m a recovering perfectionist. 

Anyone else?

If you grew up hearing things like “Always do your best” from your parents or teachers, you probably felt the weight of those words just like I did. But somewhere along the way, I turned that well-meaning advice into a lifelong assignment. My checklist read: be the best student, best employee, best wife, best mom, best friend—all wrapped up in a sparkly bow labeled “Do it all for Jesus.”

And of course, I had the Bible verses to back it up:

• 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

• Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

• Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

That felt pretty clear to me: Do your best for God. Don’t mess it up.

But somewhere along the way, I made a subtle shift without even realizing it—I translated “Do your best” into “Do it perfectly.” If I wasn’t going to make it perfect, I might as well not do it at all—God would be disappointed. And if I really loved Him, I wouldn’t fail. Right?

Well… let’s pause there.

I revisited those verses recently, and you know what I realized? None of them say anything about being perfect. They don’t say, “Make sure you do it flawlessly so God will be pleased.” They don’t threaten His disappointment if we come up short.

Instead, they offer something much richer and more freeing:

Here's what those verses actually say:

1. Do all to the glory of God – The goal isn’t perfection, it’s praise. Whatever we’re doing—whether we’re folding laundry or leading a Bible study—it’s about giving God glory. That takes practice, not perfection.

2. Do everything in the name of the Lord – We’re meant to live and move and work in His name, not our own strength. It’s about aligning with Jesus, not impressing Him.

3. Work heartily – That means with passion, sincerity, and enthusiasm—not anxiety, pressure, or guilt. It’s the kind of energy that comes from loving Jesus, not trying to earn His love.

God isn’t demanding perfection. He’s inviting participation. He wants our hearts, not our spotless records.

And I want to add one more layer, if you’ll let me.

Colossians 3:17 says “do EVERYTHING in the name of the Lord.” Everything? That pretty much covers it all—the dishes, the emails, the carpool lane, the hard conversations, the cozy evenings with a book. There’s no part of our lives that doesn’t belong to God.

But let’s be honest. Sometimes we compartmentalize. We flip the “God switch” on when we’re at church, in prayer group, or posting a verse on Facebook. But other times, we quietly think, “God, could You maybe just scoot over for a minute while I do this my way? I’ll be right back. Promise.”

Been there? Me too.

The truth is, Jesus isn’t interested in part-time surrender. He’s not asking us to do our best for Him—He’s asking us to let Him do His best through us. That’s a big difference.

I’ve come to believe that God allows us to feel off-balance at times on purpose. Not all the time, but often enough to remind us we can’t do it without Him. That’s why King David called Him his refuge, fortress, and rock. That’s why Paul could confidently say, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

We don’t need to carry the burden of perfection. We just need to stay close to Jesus.

Because as Jon Acuff put it so well in his book Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, “Perfectionism is just fear in fancy shoes.”[1] And last I checked, fear isn’t one of the fruits of the Spirit.

So, instead of aiming for perfection, let’s aim for presence—God’s presence. Let’s bring Him our whole selves: our mess, our effort, our heart. Because He’s not grading us… He’s guiding us.

[1] Jon Acuff, Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done, Portfolio, 2017.