Jul 15, 2010
When We Let the Perfect Prevent the Possible
I’m sure someone has written about this, but as I’ve scrambled to get my church’s gardening ministry started over the past few weeks, I’ve often thought of my own idealism and plans in comparison with what I’ve been able to do. In fact, it’s easy to sit back and nit pick myself.
Am I doing enough? Am I doing this right? Is this good enough? Am I making any serious mistakes?
It’s really easy to doubt myself and my plans.
There came a point when I simply needed to jump in to the ministry that I sensed God had placed before me. While I want to do things well and even with excellence, sometimes our ideals can stand in the way of taking action, making some good mistakes, and learning as I move forward.
I have learned that God can provide as we step forward in obedience, even if we don’t have all of the details lined up. However, taking that leap of faith requires letting go of my own idealism that can sometimes become a poor excuse for inaction and it eventually becomes laziness.
The perfect can prevent the possible. While it’s good to aim high, I have learned that sometimes the quest for perfection can become a hindrance.
Sometimes we settle for less than we should. However, when it comes to taking a first step, inaction can bring about its own imperfection that may be worse than taking a less than perfect step forward.
Well said Ed. The enemy loves to watch us allow our quest for perfection hinder our ability to move at all.
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G.K. Chesterton: “Anything worth doing is worth doing badly.” He understood at least two things (probably more): First, we learn by doing: there comes a time when you stop reading the manual and jump in. Second, us European types need to redefine success as obedience, not excellence. At the end of the day, did we follow the Master’s voice?
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by edcyzewski, Ray Hollenbach. Ray Hollenbach said: RT @edcyzewski: New blog post: When We Let the Perfect Prevent the Possible – http://tinyurl.com/23tahfm // A good word for us all. [...]
Yes! So true. I love this.
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Well put, Ed. I have come to share these sentiments. Being shamed by the devotion of zealous people with embryonic theology who bear fruit for Christ is good medicine for us in midst our paralyzing zeal for that which we hope will reflect well on ourselves.
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