I went through a fitness session the other day. The coach made one striking statement that resonated with my life and leadership philosophy; “Work for progress, not perfection.” I have taught and mirrored this severally to people in my ministry and leadership journey over the years. This is also true for everyone today.
Friend, you need to work for progress, not perfection. The reason some people will not step out and start anything in life is the idea of perfection (Proverbs 22:13). The truth is, we are not perfect. We are only being perfected. We won’t attain perfection until we see Jesus or get to the other side of eternity (Philippians 3:12-14). Excellence is not perfection. It is simply improvement.
People who do amazing things will tell you that things were not perfect when they started out. Rather than waiting for a perfection condition, you need to make your condition to be perfect for you (2 Kings 7:3-8). There is no perfect time for things. There is only the right time. Most times, things would not look perfect at the right time.
People are often victims of depression because they compare their present life with their future dream, not where they are coming from (Psalms 103:1-5). If you keep looking at where you are going without looking back at where you are coming from, you would be an ingrate. No matter how bad this year seems to be, you are not where you used to be.
Sometimes, as a pastor, I look at where our church was some years ago, and I just burst into thanksgiving, a tearful one at times. We may not have been where we want to be, but we are not where we used to be (Acts 26:22). We have made progress even when things are not perfect yet. What about you? What progress have you made this year?
What have you refused to start because you are waiting to have perfect condition (Ecclesiastes 11:4)? Why have you allowed depression and competition to rob you of the joy of progress? What have you stopped because you thought it’s not looking like it? Great people commit to progress. That’s why they have things to celebrate. Work for progress, not perfection. Thank God for progress, not perfection.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria