1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to have you 3 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 2: listening with us. Today's topic is Trading Perfectionism for Peace. 4 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 2: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 5 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:39,919 Speaker 2: our sponsor. Trading Perfectionism for Peace written and read by 6 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 2: Megan J. Connor. For it is by grace you have 7 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 2: been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves. 8 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: It is the gift of God, not by works, so 9 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 2: that no one can boast Ephesians two eight through nine 10 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 2: and IV. Do you wrestle with the incessant need to 11 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 2: do more? Be more? Do you find your self struggling 12 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: to sit still? Are you bothered by empty hours or 13 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 2: blank spaces on the planner? Do you worry about how 14 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 2: others perceive your efforts or lack thereof? Do you feel 15 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: frustrated by days that cannot be quantified as productive? If 16 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: any of these prompts ring true for you, know that 17 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: you are not alone. One of my greatest struggles in 18 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 2: life has been my inner battle with performance and perfectionism. 19 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: A typical type, a firstborn, I am naturally a mover, 20 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 2: a shaker, and a doer. I can possess a fierce 21 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: determination when something needs doing, and can conjure endless endurance 22 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: to accomplish whatever goal lies ahead. If there is a 23 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,040 Speaker 2: job to do, you can likely find me in line, 24 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: ready and waiting to help. Our current culture esteems and 25 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 2: celebrates such traits, but at what cost. I used to 26 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 2: be proud of these characteristics. However, I have learned over 27 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: time that all of the achieving can cause unwanted repercussions. 28 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 2: Several years back, I recognize this reality the hard way 29 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: through her inflicted on those I love most. Full of 30 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 2: grief and repentance, I spent years surrendering my pursuits of 31 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 2: performance and perfectionism to the Lord and saw real change 32 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 2: in my behavior and my heart, so much so that 33 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: I joked I was a recovering perfectionist. You would think, 34 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 2: after putting so much effort towards such an outcome, I 35 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 2: would steer clear of potential pitfalls in this area. However, 36 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: the heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure. 37 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 2: Who can understand it? Jeremiah seventeen nine and IV. As 38 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: I reflect on where I find myself today, I am 39 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 2: disappointed and frustrated that I have once again journeyed down 40 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: the slippery slope of achievement and works. I am deeply 41 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 2: grieved by the recognition of this repeated pattern. How do 42 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: I keep ending up here? What am I doing wrong? 43 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: I feel like Paul when he said I don't really 44 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: understand myself, for I want to do what is right, 45 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 2: but I don't do it. Instead I do what I 46 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: hate Romans seven fifteen NLT. Perhaps you can relate despite 47 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: my failings. Hope remains because hope stems from a source 48 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: far beyond me. For it is by grace you have 49 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 2: been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves. 50 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 2: It is the gift of God, not by works, so 51 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 2: that no one can boast Ephesians two eight through nine 52 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 2: and IV. Even further, the Bible says His power is 53 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 2: best demonstrated through my weakness, not my strength Sewo Corinthians 54 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 2: twelve nine. And the good work God began in me 55 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 2: will be completed by him Philippians one six. I am 56 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: not responsible for anything other than surrender and worship to him. 57 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 2: The Lord does have work for each of us to do, 58 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: but he is not requiring us to take on more 59 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: than he asks. If you are anything like me, then 60 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 2: there's a good chance you too are doing more than 61 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: God has called you to do. He isn't asking you 62 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 2: to prove your worth to him or anyone else around you. 63 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: You are precious and valuable simply be because you are. 64 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 2: He is pleased with who He created you to be, 65 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: and any effort to gain approval or satisfaction from busyness 66 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: and productivity will only draw you farther away from Him 67 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 2: rather than towards him. Will you join me today in 68 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: laying down the clamor and call of perfectionism? If so, 69 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: pray this prayer with me. Lord, I recognize that my 70 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 2: longing for productivity is an attempt to validate my purpose 71 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 2: in this world outside of you. Would you forgive me 72 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:31,599 Speaker 2: for trying to gain your approval and the approval of 73 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,359 Speaker 2: others through my own efforts rather than depending on you. 74 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 2: Would you help me see how I can rest in 75 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 2: you today I yield my heart to you. Help me 76 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 2: to understand how I can live differently, how I can 77 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: live in the present moment filled with peace. Thank you 78 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: for your unending mercy and grace. Amen, intersecting faith and life, 79 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 2: Where do you find yourself today? Have you overfilled your 80 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: plate with endless commitments and now feel overwhelmed and exhausted. 81 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 2: If so, spend some time with the Lord today and 82 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 2: ask him to reveal to you if there are any 83 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 2: changes he is calling you to make, either now or 84 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: in the future. If helpful, set a timer for ten 85 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 2: minutes and simply sit in the quiet. Don't pick up 86 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 2: your phone or check email. Don't read a book, just 87 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: sit in the quietness and converse with the Lord. For 88 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 2: further reading, take a look at Psalm forty six ten 89 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 2: and Second Corinthians twelve seven through nine. 90 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk Devotional is a production of Life Audio and 91 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, please 92 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 93 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 94 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, 95 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.