Progress NOT Perfection

It has been stated that the path to perfection is the enemy of progress. Now, I believe that to be true in every single area of life. That statement is one that you can bank on to always play out. In the end, no matter what you are working towards or for, if perfection is what you are after, you will always fail. Perfection is impossible. I love what one actor recently said, "I can't stand it when people tell their kids that they are perfect just the way they are. They are lying to them. You are not perfect. No one is. Nor has anyone but Jesus ever been perfect. And that is okay! You are imperfect but God can and will perfect you." (I paraphrased that comment.) God loves you the way you are but He is not satisfied with leaving you there. Perfection is not what we are to strive for. Progress is what is required though. We will not be perfect little Christians in our perfect little Christian world called church. It just won't happen because we are flawed. The best of us are still screwed up. But, that is okay! Perfection is not to be sought. Progress is what is desired. Progress keeps us moving forward towards a goal or a destination. The pursuit of perfection keeps us focused on ourselves and our failures. Our eyes are not on the prize which is Jesus and eternal hope in Heaven, when we are focused on or pursuing perfection. But, when progress is our aim then there is only one result. We do our best and He will make up the rest. But, our best must result in our leaving everything on the battlefield. We can't have anything left in the tank. We must lay it all down on the line and surrender our all to Jesus. This is the only way progress can be gained. 
Philippians 3:12, 14 (ESV) "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfected, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own... I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."