Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

This verse comes at the end of a letter of comfort and encouragement to the church in Corinth. The Apostle Paul encourages them to aim for perfection. This has to do with being conscientious about making adjustments and repairs in our life that have to do with maturing in our faith in God and our character and integrity.

The Message Bible puts it this way: “Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.” The promise and benefit of living a life of surrender and humility before God is that the God of love and peace will be with us. This is why a healthy ongoing attitude of repentance and readjusting our lives to the light of Christ is so important. Repentance and transformation is truly the good news because we are exchanging hurtful and crippling sin in our lives for God’s original intention to bless us and guide us in the life we’ve always wanted to live.

I am moved by these words to aim for perfection. God knows I’m not perfect. But He also knows that I’m capable of depending on His strength and guidance to turn from my own selfishness and allow Him to grow me up into maturity.

Aiming for perfection means for me to be aware of how the Holy Spirit wants to work in my life each day and being alert to His promptings and convictions. It’s an opportunity to sharpen my thinking and deal with any lax or lazy attitudes that would keep me from becoming my best for Him.

Father God, thank You for reminding me today that there’s more of your light and wholeness that I can be touched by as I walk with You. Lord Jesus, come fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I am empowered to walk in the light and aim for perfection. Thank You, Lord that You love me just as I am, but that you refuse to leave me that way. You want me to be just like Jesus. Help me to be more Christlike in my every day responses and my interactions with people.