I see you. You’re striving, pushing, trying so hard to get it all right—to be the best employee, the best parent, the best friend, the best servant of Christ. You want to honor God, to live faithfully, to be a reflection of His love and goodness. But deep down, there’s this weight… this pressure to measure up.

I know it because I’ve felt it, too.

Somewhere along the way, like many of us, I started believing that God’s love and approval were tied to my performance. I really can’t tell you why. Maybe it was the way I was raised, always working for affirmation, especially from my dad. Maybe it was a culture I grew up in hat praised achievement and success above all else. Or maybe it’s just that perfectionism whispered its lie into my heart for so long that I’ve mistakenly accepted it for truth.

But here’s what I’ve learned, and maybe it’s what you need to hear today: God never asked you to be perfect—He asked you to trust Him.

The Exhaustion of Performance-Based Faith

Perfectionism in our faith often looks like this:

Striving instead of abiding – We feel like we have to do more for God instead of resting in Him. Fear of failure – We’re afraid that if we mess up, we’ll disappoint God or others. or maybe it’s the Endless guilt – No matter how much we do, it never feels like enough.

But Jesus didn’t die for you so you could work yourself into exhaustion trying to be enough. He died for you because you already are enough in Him. I have personally struggled with this one more than just about anything. Believing that I have inherent value in the eyes of God without having to prove it every day has really done a number on me. To this day, I can still find myself doubting.

That’s why Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:8-9:
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

God’s grace isn’t something you earn. It’s something you receive. And when we truly understand that, we can finally breathe.

Leaning Into Grace Instead of Performance

So, how can you actually start breaking free from perfectionism? How do you stop performing and start resting in His grace?

Here are a few ideas—first, Recognize the lie. Perfectionism tells you that you have to be flawless to be loved, to be accepted, to be worthy. But that’s not God’s voice—that’s the enemy trying to keep you trapped. God’s voice says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Let yourself be loved. Have you ever sat still before God with nothing to offer—no achievements, no good works, no “spiritual wins”—and just let Him love you? If not, try it. Sit in silence and whisper, “Lord, I don’t have anything to prove. Thank You for loving me as I am.” I’ve tried it and it definitely helps. Embrace the messiness of growth. Walking with Christ isn’t about getting it all right—it’s about drawing near to Him, even when you stumble. If you mess up, repent and move forward. Don’t let perfectionism keep you stuck in guilt. Finally, remember who you are. Your identity is not in your performance—it’s in Christ alone. You are His. Loved. Chosen. Redeemed. Not because of what you do, but because of who He is.

So here’s an Invitation to Rest

Friend, if you’ve been running yourself ragged, trying to be “enough,” can I gently remind you of something? You already are. Not because of your effort, but because Jesus made it so.

Let today be the day you lay down the exhausting pursuit of perfection and step into the rest of His grace.

I’m walking this road with you, learning to surrender, learning to trust, learning to lean into grace instead of performance.

What’s one way you can embrace God’s grace today? Let’s start there.