If faith could be measured in gold stars, many Christians would have sticker books filled with achievements. Daily Bible reading? Check. Sunday service attendance? Check. Morning devotional with perfectly highlighted verses? Double check. But if spiritual growth was as simple as completing a to-do list, why do so many believers still feel disconnected from God?
The truth is, faith isn’t about productivity—it’s about presence. Yet modern Christianity has a way of reducing it to a series of tasks, turning what should be a dynamic relationship with God into a performance-based routine. “Spiritual formation isn’t about earning God’s love—it’s about responding to it,” says Dr. Ruth Haley Barton, founder of the Transforming Center and author of Sacred Rhythms. “When we approach faith as a checklist, we lose the relational aspect that Jesus modeled.”
The modern Church often mirrors hustle culture, equating busyness with spiritual maturity. Dr. Derwin Gray, pastor and author of The Good Life, warns against this mindset. “When we measure faith by performance, we turn relationship into obligation,” he explains. “Jesus didn’t call us to complete tasks. He called us to abide in Him.”
The roots of checklist Christianity run deep. Many believers grow up learning that discipline is the key to faithfulness—structured devotions, regular fasting and service projects. But as Barton notes, spiritual disciplines are meant to facilitate intimacy with God, not serve as proof of devotion. “You can read the Bible every day and never let it change you,” she says. “The goal isn’t to check a box—it’s to be transformed.”
Jesus Himself modeled a relational approach to faith. When He called His disciples, He didn’t hand them a structured plan. He said, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19). Their faith grew not through rigid routines but through an ongoing dynamic relationship with Christ. And that’s still true today—following Jesus is less about performance and more about presence.
But why do we gravitate toward spiritual checklists? Part of it is human nature. We like structure, predictability and clear indicators of success. A checklist offers tangible proof that we are doing the “right” things. It gives us a sense of control over something that is inherently mysterious. Faith, however, isn’t meant to be controlled—it’s meant to be lived.
In fact, the need for certainty is one of the greatest barriers to deepening our faith. We want clear markers of progress but the journey of faith is often about learning to trust God even when we don’t see immediate results.
There’s also a cultural component at play. Many of us have been shaped by a performance-driven mindset where worth is determined by productivity. In a society that values efficiency and achievement, it’s easy to fall into the trap of applying those same principles to our spiritual lives. If we’re checking off all the right boxes—prayer, Scripture reading, church attendance—we assume we must be on the right track. But true spiritual growth is often less about doing and more about becoming.
“We have confused spiritual activity with spiritual maturity,” says John Ortberg, pastor and author of The Life You’ve Always Wanted. “Busyness for God doesn’t necessarily mean intimacy with God. The Pharisees were incredibly disciplined in their religious practices but they completely missed the heart of God.”
This isn’t to say that structure and discipline don’t have their place in the Christian life. They absolutely do. But when we focus solely on external practices while neglecting the internal transformation they are meant to bring, we end up with a faith that is more about performance than relationship.
So how do we shift from a transactional faith to a relational one?
First, we must redefine spiritual growth. The measure of maturity isn’t how much you do for God but how deeply you dwell with Him. Faith isn’t about how many church events we attend or devotionals we complete. It’s about becoming more like Christ—a process that isn’t easily quantifiable.
Second, we should approach spiritual disciplines as invitations rather than obligations. When prayer feels forced, step back and ask what would make it meaningful again. And keep in mind that God meets us where we are, not where we think we should be.
Third, we need to create space for rest and reflection. The constant need to perform even spiritually can lead to burnout. Rest is a key part of Jesus’ teachings, meaning it’s not something we can ignore. Taking a Sabbath isn’t just a suggestion—it’s a necessary rhythm for sustaining faith. When we slow down, we remember that faith isn’t about what we do but who we are becoming.
Fourth, we must embrace the mystery of faith. Not everything in our spiritual lives will have a clear cause-and-effect relationship. Sometimes we pray and don’t immediately hear an answer. Sometimes we read Scripture and still feel lost. That doesn’t mean we’re doing it wrong—it means we’re human. “Faith is about trust, not certainty,” Dr. Beck reminds us. “A checklist gives the illusion of control but real faith is learning to rely on God even when things feel uncertain.”
Finally, we need to recognize that spiritual formation is a lifelong process. “Faith isn’t a straight line—it’s a journey with ebbs and flows,” says Gray. “Rather than fixating on doing more, we should focus on being with Jesus.”
The Christian life isn’t about performance. It’s about presence. When we abandon the checklist mentality, we make room for something far better: a real thriving relationship with God—one that doesn’t demand perfection but invites us into transformation. And that kind of faith? It can’t be measured with a checklist.
