Nobody has perfect faith, and that's okay
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Self-doubt is something many of us struggle with in our spiritual walk. We all have moments when we fail to live up to the person we want to be. When we struggle to rise to a particular challenge, or fall short of what we know God would want from us. In our darkest moments, we may question the strength of our faith.
This is especially true when you start comparing yourself to others. When you look at other people who seem to have a flawless faith, a kind of perfect clarity in their life. Whether you're looking to great figures from the Bible, modern icons, or just acquaintances and friends who don't seem to grapple with the same issues, the comparison isn't always flattering. When stacked up in such a way, it can be easy to start wondering if your faith is as real as you think it is.
The truth is, nobody has perfect faith.
No matter how great a person may be, what wonderful acts of service they've performed, or however confident they may appear, each and every person has experienced some moment of doubt or weakness. From history's greatest ministers down to the leader of your Bible study group, we're all human. Perfection is something that belongs to the Divine, it will never be within our reach.
This isn't meant to shame others or "take them down a peg” by insisting that nobody is as good as they appear. Far from it. It's good to recognize the strength and character of others, to be inspired and moved by the examples we have. But, it's also important to maintain perspective. We're all flawed and we all have our own chaos and doubts. Our faith may not be perfect, but that's not the point.
Jesus embraced plenty of imperfect people. He made disciples out of former tax collectors, ate at the table of sinners and criminals, and openly walked with those society considered unclean or undesirable. He entrusted his ministry to men who denied him, men who doubted his resurrection, catastrophically imperfect men who failed Him when it mattered the most.
But, He had faith in them - even if their own faith was imperfect.
"it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners".[Mark 2:17]
God knows we're imperfect, but He loves us anyway.
Don't allow self-doubt, negative comparisons to others, or past failures to weigh down your spiritual walk. Acknowledge your shortcomings, try to improve on them in the future, and make peace with being a sorely imperfect human who is never going to nail it 100% of the time. Keep your heart open to God even when you feel like you're not worthy and try your best to lead a Christian life even knowing you'll slip up here and there.
That's not perfect faith, but it's close enough.
