Turning Leaves, Turning Pages

Yesterday at church, I connected with a sweet lady, and our conversation wandered through several topics before landing on perfectionism.

I often describe myself as a recovering perfectionist.

Perfectionism has a way of holding us back from making progress. It keeps us stuck. It convinces us that if we can't do something perfectly, we shouldn't do it at all.

When life gets hard, it can also keep us trapped in grief and pain. We become so focused on what should have been, or what we should have done differently, that we miss what God is doing right in front of us.

I often ask people this question:

"What's the worst that can happen if you make a mistake?"

The answers vary, but many eventually come down to the same thing:

"I might be embarrassed."

Been there.

Done that.

Got the T-shirt.

The truth is, we don't usually die from embarrassment.

It's simply an uncomfortable feeling that most of us try to avoid.

Over time, I've realized that the part of me most wounded by embarrassment is my ego. And honestly, that's probably the very thing that needs refining.

I spoke briefly at church yesterday about how God is preparing to paint another beautiful fall landscape. As I shared, I found myself thinking about an old photo of Mabel from the fall of 2020. It's still one of my favorites. The golden hues of her coat were perfectly complemented by the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows surrounding her.

And yes, I still miss her deeply.

But that photo reminds me of something important.

There are seasons in life.

If you blink, you miss them.

If you're so anxious about making a mistake, you miss the journey.

If you're constantly comparing your story to someone else's, you can't fully appreciate the one God is writing for you.

The leaves don't compare themselves to one another before they change colors. They simply become what they were created to be.

Maybe that's what God invites us to do as well.

To trust Him more.

To strive less.

To let go of the need to be perfect.

Because perfection was never the goal.

Growth is.

And growth requires movement, risk, humility, and sometimes even failure.

Yes, letting go is hard.

But there's a freedom waiting on the other side of perfectionism.

And it's beautiful. Just like autumn.

Sandy

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10