The Pressure to Perform

My palms were sweating and my heart was racing as I stood behind the curtain. Had I practiced enough? Would I fail to remember my lines and throw everyone off? The entire sixth grade filled the auditorium. In the seats sat both friends and foes waiting for the next performance—my performance.

During practice I bumbled my lines, forgot where I was to sit and when I was to stand. I was a wreck. I knew if I messed up, I would never live it down. Tween-agers can be so cruel. I was under the pressure to perform.

Anxiety can be overwhelming when we live with the pressure of thinking our acceptance or rejection is based on our performance. We sometimes fall victim to the scrutiny of our inner critic, who accuses us and accuses God. Our failures take center stage and dim the lights of God’s grace and mercy.

No matter what we do, we can never be good enough.

No matter how well we perform, it is never well enough.

God has set perfection’s bar too high for us to attain on our own.

My inner critic was exploiting all my failures and amplifying my hardships as I stood in the wings waiting for the curtain to open. Nothing seemed quite right.

All my labor seemed useless.

All the practice was for nothing.

I would fail.

I would be rejected by my peers.

Inner peace was gone as turmoil took over.

It’s easy to give up and give in. I mean, why try when you can’t be perfect. Or worse, you may keep trying and, in the end, find yourself bound by perfectionism. Nothing you or anyone else does is quite right.

Perfectionism screams, “I have no intrinsic value; I must be good. I have to do good if I’m ever going to be loved and accepted.” Someone once said and I agree, “Perfectionism is insecurity on steroids.”

Even though I was wrecked with anxiety, an odd sense of peace flooded my heart as the curtain opened. The words of my drama teacher silenced my inner critic. Take a deep breath, relax, and trust your preparation.

When I walked out on the stage, I was composed and confident. I moved through the scenes as if someone else was in control. The audience loved the show and didn’t seem to notice any of the small missteps in my performance because I didn’t let the flaws stop me. I was free to push past the performance pressure and experience peace on the stage when I stepped out into the light and embraced my role in the story.

God has made a way for us to push past the false belief we have to be good enough or do enough good for us to be accepted and loved by him. When we trust in Jesus and what he did for us on the cross, we can silence the inner critic, experience the peace of God, and walk through the curtain into his glorious light.

*The Write Connection: Journaling Prompt

1. What are some attitudes and actions that rob you of God’s peace?

The Bible Connection: Read Matthew 11:28-30, John 16:33.

• From these passages, what is Jesus offering to us? How do we find and experience the peace and rest he offers?
• Through these passages, what can we learn about the world we live in and the way we should live in it?

The Heart Connection: Prayer:

Dear Father, help us to experience the peace you’ve provided for us through Jesus, even in the midst of our greatest failures. Thank you for drawing us into a transforming relationship in which we can rest from our labors and experience your peace in our souls. Grant us the grace to walk in the liberty of your truth. In Jesus’ name, amen.

*The Write Connection is a one-day workshop presenting the biblical concepts of journaling and purpose boards with built-in creative time for the participants. If you are interested in hosting this workshop, please contact Carla G. Pollard by e-mail to carla@carlagpollard.com.