In May
2012, I sat down to figure out certain things which for a very long time had
become more of disturbances within me that I could even describe if asked to do
so. Within this very short time of deep thoughts and self-search, one thing
that kept resounding within me was “Life; we are far from perfection”. Although as a
born again child of God, I have over the years understood that God offers us
perfection in life not through my efforts but by grace. Notwithstanding, this
pushed me into a journey whose discovery I felt I should share with the world.
The
resounding of this phrase brought me so much peace and calm and led me into this
place where I realized how true this was; thus decided to give up on any move
that will bring about the very convictions that I have to be perfect in my
daily living and dealings with man rather than with God. Giving up was not
because I saw myself as a coward or as someone who could not face the “very facts and
truths which man has defined about life”; rather giving up meant taking a new path
that will bring happiness and perpetual rest of mind because life is not only
about the very little things that make our day but also about those little
things which if we throw the perfectionist mind-set at will turn life for us
into total nightmare which leads into that very path where ends meets up with
pains. Not leaving out the regrets which are always accompanied by the “had I
known syndrome”.
Personally,
this has made me to a greater extent believe that truly life is not only a
lesson but a teacher as well. Hence, perfection is nothing but an illusion in
that if humans were perfect the learning and teaching which comes
through the leading and living of life would have been non-existent. More so, if perfection was not an illusion, “the power of
choice wouldn't have been given man on creation”. These
understanding I battled over time knowing that as a child of God, I have been given
the power to be called the son of God which entails me been perfect as God is. Immediately
this came to mind, I realized that the “perfection which the bible urged me to
attain was that in my walk with God rather than in the way “I lead life and chase after life dealings”. Perhaps,
you will ask why this realization?
This
realization was born out of the understanding that “been perfect is more of
spiritual than physical” yet even in the spiritual this cannot be attained as
the bible clearly says “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” and that in “sin you and I
were conceived”. This alone takes out perfection from life. Moreover, the fact that following
God requires perfection which no man has achieved at any point in life cannot
be overemphasized because man can be righteous in his dealing with God and man
but this should not be a yardstick of measuring man’s perfection which is
nothing but a total illusion that has driven man firstly to the loss of natural
happiness and joy into that path where everything matters with nothing been
achieved as compared to efforts; secondly, into that place where total
complaints thus taking away satisfaction and comfort has been an order and
acceptance rather than rejection.
However, have
you ever wondered why life was provided with the opportunities to learn from
people at same time while learning with and from life? The answer is quite
simple and that is “ perfection by (with) man is not real and can never be
achieved by any man rather improvements in life is real can be achieved in
man’s daily living so as to make the world comfortable for everyone. Experience
has thought and continue to teach that perfection will only bring more pains
than gains. This is because since it cannot and will never be achieved my
taking the path of chasing it will only expose and bring to a point where
“regrets and had I known” will be a total companion. More so, isn't it evident
that those who chase perfection only exist and do not live life? Don’t you think
those who belong to this school of thought only think that life is about them
as such they miss out on everything that pertains to life?
The answers
to these questions centres on the fact that life is to be lived in complementary manner and that those who have the perfectionist mind-set and chase after it are
always just about themselves and themselves alone. Hence, when they over time
realise how they have missed it, they tend to be more on the side of pains than
gains, on the side of self-regrets than self-appraisal. So what then is the
gain in chasing after perfection if it only breaks than make? However, have you
ever imagined the joy of saying “I have lived my life to inspire, teach, help
and impact others and the various testimonies that affirms this state of mind? The perfectionist or those who chase after it
can never get to this school of thought because life to them is not about
others but themselves alone. .
Therefore,
perfection is totally an illusion which takes away the true personality of a person
by replacing it with a lie that hurts upon realization of the truth. This is so
because perfection takes away the ability to chase your goals and dreams thus
destiny and replaces it with the urge to please men and exist displaying the
life of “I am better than everyone”. Isn't his what perfection is about? So what happens when such a perfect oriented
person discovers someone who is better than them? Supposedly, anger, envy,
jealousy and every negative strength (energy) you can think or imagine totally
takes over their personality thus pushing them further away from their own
dreams, goals, destiny with the happiness and joy that comes with life and
leading them into a place of total self-neglect combined with self-disapproval
and non-acceptance. Hence, they go farther away from the essence of life meeting
more pains than gains.
“Perfection is
truly a total illusion, those who chase after it are so blinded that they meet
more pains rather than gains”. If it weren't, then all humans would have been and lived into perfection or better
still grow into perfection as they grow into old age but this is totally wrong
because even a child of today might as well be more into life than a man or
woman who has lived life for a long time. Hence, life is truly a lesson and a
teacher which offers us the very truths that we must face and each time we
neglect these truths as a result of chasing perfection life itself turns into
something we cannot describe even when given a million years to do so.
So, forget
about been perfect and just live life chasing your dreams, goals and destiny
not forgetting that these will inspire, teach, heal, help and impact more lives
than you would imagine. Let’s be true, perfection will destroy humanity rather
than make it better.
Written by
Samuel J Ahiamadu
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