“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48, ESV).

There is no such thing as instant perfection, but isn’t that often what we want? Our perfect, best life – now! All our ducks in a row.

Perfection in the sense of Matthew 5:48 is related more to becoming whole or being mature. Good character and maturity are developed in the crucible of life’s pain and challenges.

A journey is never completed in a single step. Reaching the destination or goal is an incremental process that includes planning and learning. The same is true with spiritual perfection.

To become perfect, it is necessary to know what that means. This learning comes from daily immersion in God’s Word. Over time, as we gain a clearer understanding of God’s intent regarding perfection, we can make adjustments in our path to ensure we’re headed in the right direction.

Godly perfection is borne from time, mistakes, trials, failures, experience, and wisdom coupled with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. There are no short cuts. But there are rewards.