Peace over Perfection: Enjoying a Good God When You Feel You're Never Good Enough

by Faith Chang, Esther Liu (Afterword)

Overview

Many Christians, often without even realizing it, struggle with a type of Christian perfectionism. We strive to please God but are plagued with anxiety about making mistakes. We want to do God’s will but live with a self-berating inner voice even as we seek to serve him. We sincerely believe the gospel and love Jesus but struggle with never feeling good enough before God.

How can Christians wholeheartedly pursue God without an undercurrent of guilt, fear or anxiety? How can imperfect people experience God's peace while seeking to obey his perfect standards?

Author Faith Chang addresses the struggles of her fellow "Christian perfectionists" through meditations on God’s character. With nuance and care, she writes for those who seek to grow in Christ and live for God’s glory yet live in fear of failure. She explores the Bible to show that as God deals with us as in-process people, he is far more merciful, righteous and patient than we may have imagined. As we consider how he interacts bountifully with us, the weary and scrupulous Christian perfectionist will be freed to serve God while experiencing his love and peace.

There are prayers between each chapter for specific situations Christian perfectionists face, such as “A Prayer for When You Feel You’re a Fake.” Reflection questions are included for those reading the book in small groups or one to one.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784989859
Publisher:	The Good Book Company
Publication date:	04/01/2024
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	485,499
Product dimensions:	5.31(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.51(d)

About the Author

Faith Chang (B.S. Human Development, Cornell University; Certificate in Christian Studies, Westminster Theological Seminary) serves at Grace Christian Church of Staten Island, where her husband is a pastor. She is an editorial board member of the SOLA Network and co-hosts the Westminster Kids Digest Podcast at WTS Books. Her writing on theology, motherhood, ministry, and the Christian life has appeared on Westminster Kids, The SOLA Network, The Gospel Coalition, and The Lausanne Movement.

Esther is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF. She has a master of arts in religion with an emphasis in biblical studies from Westminster Theological Seminary, as well as a master of arts in counseling.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. The Perfectionist’s Ache

A Prayer for Rest

2. Knowledge

A Prayer for When You Fear You’re a Fake

3. Mercy

A Prayer for When You Hear the Voice of Condemnation

4. Law

A Prayer for When You Feel Like You’re Always Doing Something Wrong

5. Peace

A Prayer for When You’re Afraid to Pray

6. Patience

A Prayer for When All You Can See Is All Your Failures

7. Providence

A Prayer for When You Fear Missing His Voice (For All That’s Left Undone)

8. Love

A Prayer for When Your Best Doesn’t Feel Good Enough

9. There Remains a Rest

Appendix: Discussion/Journaling Questions & Resources for Further Study

Editorial Reviews

Full of impactful quotes and anecdotes that will most definitely be shared from my pulpit for years to come, Peace over Perfection is written with authentic vulnerability, empathetic understanding, and a deep insight into the heart of God toward his bumbling yet beloved children. Writing as one who has walked and frequently fallen from the arduous tightrope so familiar to fellow perfectionists, Faith invites us off our tightropes altogether, offering us a far better vision that neither downplays our flaws nor cheapens God’s love, but locates us within the firm and tender (nail-pierced) hands of God in order that we might experience the true depths of our sin and yet never without the even higher heights of God’s grace.

Andrew Ong (Pastor of Care and Discipleship

Reading this book is like sitting down in a comfortable room with your dear friend, both of you tired after a long day. Faith reminds you of how much you are loved and invites you to lean your head on her shoulder while you both take it all in—the weariness of your souls and the grace of your Savior. Accept this invitation to linger on the Lord’s love and rest.

Remley Gorsuch (Westminster Kids Manager

New authors have a way of bringing fresh perspectives to stubborn struggles. That is what Faith Chang does with perfectionism. If you’ve found yourself pursuing a good goal (holiness) in an exhausting way (perfectionism), Peace over Perfection offers a fresh voice and fresh perspective. Through the hope of the gospel, you’ll learn to pursue godliness in a way that rests in the reality that God is for you—as a good Father. A book rooted in prayer, Peace over Perfection invites you to talk with God about your journey and enjoy his presence in your in-process life.

Brad Hambrick (Pastor of Counseling

Relief—that was my experience of reading this wonderful book. Faith has expertly weaved her personal struggles and cultural background together with gospel truth and historical example to produce a deeply comforting and fresh exploration of Christian perfectionism.

Linda Allcock (Author

Faith Chang is a natural storyteller, a gifted writer, and insightful and encouraging. In my anxious pursuit of perfection, Chang points me to Christ—the founder and perfecter of our faith—and his perfect love casts out my fear.

Aaron Lee (Editorial Curator

Reading Peace over Perfection is like arriving at one of the ‘safe homes’ along the path in The Pilgrim’s Progress—a place of sustenance and encouragement to shut out the terrors and temptations that haunt the ‘Christian perfectionist’ in their journey toward the heavenly rest of the Celestial City. Faith’s welcoming tone gives space to exhale and recalibrate, each chapter pairing a specific challenge of perfectionism with gospel help, proving she’s walked the hard paths too. And while reading this book will provide respite, it won’t leave you resting. The discussion questions and prayer prompts—if sincerely applied—will drive you out the door and on the road again, seeking out other pilgrims along the way.

Josiah Pettit (Director

Faith Chang is a natural storyteller, a gifted writer, and insightful and encouraging. In my anxious pursuit of perfection, Chang points me to Christ—the founder and perfecter of our faith—and his perfect love casts out my fear.

Aaron Lee