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

by Faith Chang

Help for those struggling with perfectionism and guilt in their Christian walk. 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 pursue 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 on one.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christianity, Self Help, Audiobook

193 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2024

Reviews

[Amanda E. (aebooksandwords) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“‘Even when I try to obey God very carefully, I often feel that it is not quite right.’ The good things we do are never good enough. We second-guess our ‘simple everyday’ actions, afraid of inadvertently sinning.” We experience “an unease in our soul… [a] sort of relational tension.”

Do you relate?

In “Peace Over Perfection” author Faith Chang writes to help fellow Christian perfectionists in our struggles. She shares how we can be plagued with anxiety, shame, and self-criticism and how to deal with this. With a heart that empathizes alongside us, she knows the struggle of wanting to live rightly before God yet fearing failure.

I was immediately drawn to this book as someone who struggles with the above and knowing this affects my life as a disciple of Christ. My hope was to find help in how this hinders my view of God and how I relate to Him; this book truly put words to these struggles while applying God’s Word to them.

This book is so helpful and deeply insightful! I appreciated the use of Scripture and the prayer included at the end of each chapter. I definitely see myself returning to these.

Highlights:

“For the perfectionist, life is math. You enter values on one side of an equation, and on the other side, you get what you put in. Which is to say, there is no accounting for grace. But grace is at the heart of Christianity, and the beauty of grace is that it is the antithesis of input determining output. It is the opposite of getting what you deserve.”

“If you are burdened by constant fears over whether you are obeying God rightly, then Jesus’ promise of rest is intended for you.”

“Christian perfectionists are often plagued with guilt over potential sin, even where there is none.”

“To bring us to repentance, the Spirit points out very specific ways in which we need to confess, change, or make restitution. But, in my experience, it is rarely, if ever, God who is behind our general feelings of being a ‘bad’ Christian or person.”

“Knowing we were made in love for God’s good pleasure changes the way we work. In God’s home, you don’t have to earn your keep or prove you deserve your place.”

“God didn’t have to speak, but through his precious commands, he has spoken. And those who seek him need not fear missing his voice.”

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[Emily Waits (emilylovesreading_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw so much of myself in this book and found it to be profoundly helpful and full of insight.

I really appreciated the honest and empathetic way that the author comes alongside the reader, as she shares some of her personal story and how God met her in her struggle with perfectionism through His Word and His Spirit. Perfectionism doesn’t always look like what we think it does. I think this book so clearly puts into words something that many of us struggle with but may not fully recognize or know how to express.

Through reading this book, I actually felt that I’d come to understand myself a bit better, and my affection for my perfect, faithful Savior was certainly stirred up. 🥰

I highly, highly recommend this book, and I already know that I will reread it someday!

Thank you to @thegoodbookcompanyusa for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Billy Backhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, wise, and very timely for me.
Bought at Keswick, read at bedtimes.
I'll pick some gems to share in due course - turning it over in my mind in the meantime!

[Gel 👩🏻‍🦰 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The invitation to come to Jesus is an invitation to be known.”

“Perfectionist” isn’t a word I’d use to describe myself; my phone storage is always full, I don’t have great organizational systems, and if you ride in my van, please don’t look around much 🫣😅
But Chang startled me with her description of perfection. “Though we usually define perfection by what it isn’t - ‘without fault,’ ‘flawless,’ or ‘free from error’- the fuller meaning of the word is ‘absolute’ or ‘complete,” she states. “[Perfection] smells more like the sweet nectar of a spring garden than the antiseptic of a surgery room.”
Armed with this new perspective, I saw myself in every page, and was left in awe by her encouraging words about who God is and who I am.
The all encompassing feeling from these pages: a deep, soul cleansing breath 💗

You’ll love this if you:
•have struggled with feeling “not good enough”
•have experienced legalistic teaching
•are looking for an encouraging, easy read
•want gentle encouragement to let go of toxic mindsets

Bonus: In complete honesty, I don’t always love prayers/questions at the end of chapters - it can feel so cheesy 🫣 BUT I loved the prayer prompts in this one as much as the content in the chapters.

Some favorite quotes:

“If drawing nearer to God is the goal, maybe we can aim to return to him a little quicker when we fall instead of staying away because we’re not yet perfect.”

“Through the law, we see how God fiercely protects the true, beautiful, and good.”

“In the goodness of creation, God gives me a taste of the Spirit’s freedom. He leads my soul to a spacious place.”

“He is fully committed to the real, whole you. Fully known, you are truly loved.”

Thank you @thegoodbookcompanyusa for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own 🤗

[Amanda (The Little Book Spot) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“God really knows just what I need.”

“This book was written just for me.”

“I didn’t realize others had these same struggles, I feel so seen!”

These were a few of my thoughts as I read through this book on Christian perfectionism recently. It really did seem as though this book was written just for me and truly, it was no coincidence that I found myself holding this particular book in my hands. I have found myself at battle in my mind against intrusive thoughts such as this book highlights, not really realizing it was a common or recognized issue in the body of Christ.

Faith Chang breaks down what Christian perfectionism really is and delves deep into the issue using Scriptures and her own research into the psychological aspects, along with her own personal experience and testimony and even written prayers at the end of each chapter that are tailored to help our hearts cry out for help.

Relatable and filled with a hopeful message and theme of overcoming and freedom — this book can be used by anyone who is seeking God’s will in their life but feels like they just don’t quite measure up. As children of the Most High, we can experience His peace (And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7) this side of eternity— this book shows us how.

I absolutely loved this book and found it to be so incredibly instrumental in healing and understanding my own thought process. I highlighted so many passages and actually plan to go over the book again in my own personal study.

Thank you to @thegoodbookcompanyusa & @keepingheartblog for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was honestly fantastic. Warm, pastoral, full of grace. Even if you wouldn’t call yourself a perfectionist, read it.
Also it’s one of the only Christian books I’ve read with reference to intrusive thoughts and OCD. So good to see this in books, with other more in-depth resources highlighted.

[Christina Keddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that my weary, striving heart so needed. I have so many sections underlined and so many passages I want to meditate over more, but this excerpt from one of the prayers closing each chapter particularly resonated with me:

“According to your great compassion, look upon me! Rescue me, O God who sees me.

“Father, though I fear what lies in the depths of me, you’ve already seen it all. You love me with full knowledge of all I’ve ever done and will do, who I’ve been and who I will be. Remind me that because I am fully known, I am and will always be truly loved.

“Jesus, I rejoice in your finished work upon the cross. Thank you that there is no stain your blood cannot cleanse, even the sin of hypocrisy. Let me rest in your perfect knowledge, which assured me that your forgiveness is complete.”

[Catrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most helpful books I have read recently. Such a wonderfully hopeful approach to correct the voice in my head which says I not good enough by reminding me that I am the beloved child of a good and perfect saviour who makes me perfect in him. I will definitely read again in the future.

[Brenden Wentworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good. As someone who struggles more than I’d like to admit to myself or others with perfectionism/“karma mentality” in my relationship with the Lord, this book reminded me that I’m not crazy or alone but I’ve definitely not arrived nor will I, till I’m with Christ

Chang writes like an older sister who gets the inner struggle of resting in Christ, giving him your “full” trust, and feeling as though you never measure up

With a precision scalpel, the author both diagnoses the problem, gives charitable sympathy as a fellow struggler, but also most importantly points to the truths that unhinge the reign of perfectionism’s hold on your soul:
- the beauty of justification by faith alone, the sweet promises of God, the gracious care of God who shepherds His imperfect people, and the reminder that someday we will see Him as He is and thus be changed forever

That is the perfectionist’s hope: being made eternally perfect in Christ when we see Him

[Jessica Klausing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always wondered if I truly had perfectionistic tendencies… in the best way this book read my mail. I listened on audio but will 100% be buying so that I can go back to it.

There is something so healing in knowing “I’m not the only one who… sees, thinks, feels - like that.” And this book gave me that

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was humbling how much I needed this book.

When I first started reading it, I thought "oh, I could've used this book in my 20s, but I've grown out of this thought pattern." Reader, by the end of the book, I heartily realized that I had not.

Chang is so gentle and so sincere in both her love for God and her love for wanting other Christians to stop struggling with perfectionism and know his love too. Almost more than her academic arguments, her sincere, passionate, love and faith in God shown through. It made me want to be a better person and it made me want to get to know the God that she describes.

[mattie mae seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

faith chang’s peace over perfection is basically a rescue mission for all of us who treat christianity like a never-ending performance review. instead of another “try harder” pep talk, she builds a case that god’s kindness is sturdier than our failures, and his rest is actually available in the middle of our messy, half-finished lives. the book manages to sound like both a pastor with a greek lexicon in one hand and a tired friend on the couch in the other.

i love how chang doesn’t just say “you’re not good enough, but god still loves you” (though that’s the vibe). no — she says something better: sanity-saving paragraphs about a god who meets your perfectionist wreck in the wreckage, touches it tenderly, and says, “come on, you don’t have to be polished to be cherished.” she’s not afraid to talk big theology—mercy, law, providence, love—but she ties it to everyday chaos: the voice that says you messed up your prayer, the fear you’ll never do enough, the nagging scruple that you’re faking being faithful. and at the end of each chapter: a prayer prompt or reflection that feels like a flashlight pointing away from shame and toward grace.

so yes, this is for the weary, the over-thinking, the “i read the verse but still feel like i missed the point” kind of people. chang’s writing lets you both nerd out on doctrine and exhale hard, sloppy breaths of relief. her sentences feel like soft theology armor — protective, kind, not rigid. and she doesn’t just leave you in your pity-party. there are little invitations: go reflect, take a step closer to god, notice that rest might feel like the least likely fruit of your striving.

it’s short, cheeky even, but dense with hope. sometimes theology can feel like eating dry toast — feel good later, but kinda dry inside. this book’s like toast dipped in honey, then dunked in coffee. satisfying, surprising, and maybe a little sticky, but in the best way.

favorite quotes:
"if drawing nearer to god is the goal, maybe we can aim to return to him a little quicker when we fall instead of staying away because we’re not yet perfect."
"through the law, we see how god fiercely protects the true, beautiful, and good"

[Alli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my husband, one chapter at a time, over the course of several months. It was rich and left me choked up or in full-out tears during some point of almost every chapter. Faith gets to the heart of a Christian Perfectionist’s fears, and treats with gentleness those that struggle. She has no judgment, as she identifies as one herself. And she brings us through the stories of God’s faithfulness throughout the history of the Bible and their implications for us as believers today and forever.

Highly recommend. For anyone who is or knows someone that wants to obey God but never feels quite in his good graces.

[Blair Beaulieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book over the weekend, thinking I would relate to most of its major points given my Type A personality and perfectionist tendencies but I felt it came up a little dry and overgeneralized. Personally, I am willing to give it another listen when I am a bit more focused on the content, as I was able to leave with a few nuggets of truth, but I definitely had higher hopes for this one.

[Karrie Flegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith Chang is real and provides a depth of scripture to encourage hearts that struggle with perfectionism.

[Sydney Repak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of integrated scripture

[Lauren DuPrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received Peace Over Perfection compliments of The Good Book Company in exchange for my honest review.

Peace Over Perfection is the debut title by Faith Chang and one that I greatly enjoyed. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a firstborn, but I’ve always considered myself to have a Type A personality. In many ways, and for many years, I’ve put pressure to perform on myself in ways that the Bible doesn’t. Peace Over Perfection was such an encouraging read for me. This is a book I can see myself reading again because of how helpful it is. I felt like Faith was with me as a friend gently guiding me to the beauty and freedom of the gospel.

As I read, I felt understood and also relieved that many burdens I’ve placed on myself aren’t actually mine to carry. One of the greatest encouragements to me from the book is how Faith gently addresses perfectionists. Rather than just assuming that every Christian who struggles with perfectionism is prideful, Faith acknowledges that those who struggle in this way often have the best intentions and truly do want to honor the Lord.

I found the chapter, Providence, particularly encouraging, comforting, and freeing. It was a sweet reminder of God’s sovereignty over my imperfections and the beauty of His redeeming power in them. Each chapter concludes with a prayer for the perfectionist written by Faith and the prayers are drawn from Scripture.

Additionally, Faith is an excellent writer which added to my enjoyment in reading. If you are a Christian who struggles with perfectionism, you will be greatly encouraged by Peace Over Perfection. I’m pleased to give it my highest recommendation and eagerly anticipate reading more by Faith.

[Kelsey Sontag · Rating 4 out of 5]

“One day, we will arrive at the promised land of eternal rest…some of us will sprint our last leg….others of us will seem to have barely made it, hobbling, weeping…But whatever our condition, on that day we will have finished the race. We will see the one our hearts have longed for. And seeing him, we will be made like him. There, we will know that from beginning to end, he has carried us.”

When I began this book, I had never read something that had so perfectly described me and the paralyzing motivation that plagued my Christian walk the majority of my life. Chang’s words cut in all the right places. The only reason for 4 stars was feeling like she lost me a bit in the middle…but that could have been me….i did feel as those the first half and last chapter or two really resonated with me and I would recommend this to any of Christian perfectionists out there.

[Eleanor Fieldson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a perfectionist and am increasingly realising that this isn’t always a good thing. This book was helpful in understanding myself and how perfectionism might have an impact on my faith.

I particularly found the chapter on love helpful. Chang writes, ‘I know God is loving, but could he really love me? I know God loves me, but that doesn’t mean he’s happy with me’ and then challenges this thinking. This chapter addressed thoughts I can sometimes fall into.

I think why I didn’t give this a higher rating was because I expected something on Christians as perfectionists more generally in life rather than just in our relationship with God - so something like how we feel we should do our best in work / family etc as a way of honouring God and this creates extra pressure. But I think that was my misplaced expectation.

It also took me ages to read and I’m not sure why!

[Jade Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this book is incredible. Jesus is so glorious.
Such a great representation of biblically sound knowledge of how to quite literally crucify perfectionism and seek peace in Christ along with the author’s real/raw life experiences tied to Christian perfectionism. 10/10

The weight of the world doesn’t rest on our shoulders. He isn’t dissatisfied with us. Sin doesn’t have dominion over you. Bc dominion belongs to Christ. He is such a gentle and lowly savior. He loves and died for sinners.
What seems impossible to us, is easy to him. Let Him help you and carry you. He will and wants to anyway. Would so recommend to give this a read if you toil and struggle with perfectionism or know someone who does. He’s so glorious and merciful to meet us there!

[Jaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very powerful introspective book. Faith does a great job providing both biblical wisdom and personal anecdotes of her own journey of healing and growth. She asks honest questions and provides serious answers for dealing with our common fears, insecurities, and anxieties and ultimately points us to our ultimate peace and rest: Jesus Christ

“We need a big view of God’s power and care when we are hounded by past regrets, paralyzed by present choices, and afraid about future failures… The Christian’s future is not ultimately determined by our own power to always know and do what is right but by the gracious providence of God.”

[Garrett Wishall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book for perfectionists written by a perfectionist. Chang is a Christian in the stream of Reformed theology and biblical counseling, and writes from that perspective. Those who internally ask regularly "was that sinful?" will benefit greatly from this book. Chang helps believers with over-scrupulous consciences align with God's Word through the comfort, hope and help offered by Jesus Christ through the gospel. This book will help believers distinguish between the accusation of Satan and clear voice of the Holy Spirit.

[Christine Tursi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that she doesn’t say stop trying but encourages to work with God. Holiness is not something we achieve to give to God as a present it’s a collaboration that glorifies God and makes room for his Glory within us, makes us ready for eternal Glory and brings his Glory to the here and now.
It’s worth it but don’t kill yourself trying, he already did it all on the cross to make it possible.

[Anna Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was given this book by a dear friend. faith chang touches on many important elements through these pages, like how many of our anxieties reveal a misunderstanding of the love of God or the His providence and ability to work even amid our mistakes. but my favorite part was the end, when she reminds the reader that someday, all of the Christian’s anxiety and struggling will come to an end. when we meet God, He will finish the work He started in us, and we will be who we were always meant to be: perfect, like Him. a beautiful, deeply gentle book.

[Ginger Newingham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I digested this one slowly - I believe beginning it months ago. Each chapter I listened to, I trust God in his timing and the message presented. His steadfast love for ME, even me, a great sinner, was the message I heard over and over. Not a love to be earned, but a love to lean into and allow to embrace me, by faith.

[Bethan Edge · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️ didn’t love the writing style unfortunately, quite cringey and felt too much like an autobiography. Some great truths and reminders in there but didn’t really encourage or teach me in the way I was expecting.

[Hannah Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is short and sweet, but so theologically rich and profound! Chang has a real gift for gracefully and simply communicating deep concepts in a way that anyone can understand and relate to. Highly recommend!

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75

[Grace McKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

This spoke to my heart so beautifully ❤️

[Hannah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book felt like a warm hug, or an exhale.