For those who have dealt with manifestations of Christian perfectionism, Chang has done a beautiful thing. In reading her personal experiences, her reflections on the writing of others, and her rich meditations on God’s character from his word, you will be deeply encouraged by how you are both loved and delighted in by your God. 

For a long period in my Christian life, I felt like God was always just a bit disappointed in me. Sure, I believed he loved me enough to die for me, and I knew he forgave me for my sin, but I felt that perhaps God just tolerated rather than delighted in me. After all, Jesus calls us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48). Christians are told to pray continually (1 Thes 5:17). Paul exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4). I knew I wasn’t perfect, my prayers were certainly not continual and I failed to always rejoice, so I felt that God must be constantly displeased with me. I walked around in a persistent state of low-level guilt. I assumed God gave a bit of a deep sigh and an eye roll each time he saw me fail again.

I wish I had been able to read Faith Chang’s heartwarming book, Peace Over Perfection, in those long years. And although I am in a very different place now, from time to time I still experience those feelings. This was a book that deeply ministered to my soul.

Christian Perfectionism

Chang would diagnose the feelings I was experiencing as a consequence of Christian perfectionism.[1] In their head, the Christian perfectionist knows they are justified by grace through faith, not by works, but they can struggle to apply this to their hearts. The Christian perfectionist is the one who has “been told they are too hard on themselves but don’t know how to pursue holiness without a self-berating inner voice” (13).

While it may manifest in different ways, for Chang Christian perfectionism manifests as a constant low-level sense of guilt or anxiety. For others it may be a critical inner voice, a fear of missing the will of God, grief over past regrets, or fear over future failures. The problem is not that we want to be perfect like our Lord—otherwise the solution would be to stop trying (18). Rather, the struggle is to know peace, joy and rest in our relationship with God as we pursue a holiness that we know we won’t reach this side of the new creation. How can imperfect people know God’s peace while pursuing his perfect standards?

Rest for Your Souls

A perfectionist is often told to believe the gospel more, focus on loving others instead or just stop trying so hard. Rather than simply repeating these assertions, Chang gently and winsomely uses each of her main chapters to cover an aspect of God’s character that brings sweet relief and comfort to the restless soul.

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