I Can Always Do Better

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. (Philippians 3:12 ESV)

Recently, I came to a wholly and thoroughly unsurprising conclusion: I am not good enough. Now, of course, I know that no one can ever be “good enough” in this life.

So, recognizing this fact, I decided that I should do better. Could do better. Would do better. And so began my mid-year resolution. I determined that I would go one month being as perfect as humanly possible.

It all started off so well. I did the dishes every night. I bit back every angry or unhelpful word that sprang to my lips, no matter who I thought was right. I was on time every day for every scheduled event. I could often be seen cleaning and tidying.

This lasted for almost a complete fortnight. Then, as happens, the challenge began to grow old. That’s how I began to deviate a little from my righteous track. I spoke in anger once, then twice. By then, I realized I’d already failed to keep my resolution. So, what followed was a complete abandonment. What difference would that make? As you can tell, my “perfect” month was far from perfect.

But in failing I learned some important lessons that will stick with me for a long time, and that caused me to grow and—dare I say it?—do better. I don’t have to be perfect to do better. I don’t even have to be better to do better. I just need to be ready with an ear open to God’s still, small voice and a willingness to listen and learn. I can never be perfect, but I can always do better. —David Mizrany [1]

Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well. —Marie Angélique Arnauld (1591–1661)

[1] Activated My Perfect Month