The BBC has a video entitled: “How to counter Scrupulosity: the obsessive fear of not being good enough.” It set me thinking about how scrupulosity makes a person miserable and steals all joy.
The question about not being “good enough” is filtered through a lens, who is it you are trying to please? The ultimate question is, how do I please God without scrupulosity?
A little girl, when asked, “What must you do to have a friendship with God?” responded, “I must be good.”
“How good must you be?” asked the questioner.
“Awful good.” she said.
“And just how awfully good must you be?” persisted the questioner.
Her eyes widened with alarm, and she replied with amazing perception. “Awful, awful good.” That is a wonderful definition of scrupulosity.
If I am trying to please God, the standard is perfection. That is not God being “difficult”, it is a requirement of His character. Heaven, by definition, is a perfect place. If I entered as less than perfect, it would cease to be heaven.
That is the human dilemma.
The Good News (Gospel) is that a metaphor for faith in Christ is marriage. He has a perfect record and a bountiful estate. Faith is a marriage “in community of property and of identity”. I no longer write illegal checks from my bank account, I have an ATM card with access to His account. I no longer cringe about my imperfection, I go into heaven leaning on His arm, relying on His perfection, united to Him in marriage.
Does that mean I no longer have to be concerned about being good? Of course not! The marriage is not arranged, it is a love affair. To please the one I love is my delight. Displeasing him upsets me, but does not paralyze me nor end the relationship. Goodness is thus not legalistic or contrived with a fearful scrupulosity. (A new word for me, and I love how expressive it is!). It is promoted and enjoyed as a response to my Spouse’s generous love, free of guilt and shame, allowing me to develop into my full potential, in a marriage of delights.
Christ asks you, “May I have your hand in marriage?”
progressingpeople 