You Don't Have to Earn What Jesus Already Gave You.

Photo by: Evita Tomševica

Checking boxes is productive if you're finishing a to-do list or a grocery list, but trying to check a box that says, "Be a perfect Christian woman"? That's impossible. So, stop trying.

We often feel pressure to do everything right, but walking with God isn’t about perfection or performance, it’s about relationship. In my last post, I talked about rejecting the world’s labels, but this also means learning to slow down and live by God’s pace, not the world’s. Life with Jesus isn’t a race or a sprint, it’s a steady, intentional walk. When we slow down and align our steps with His, we find peace and purpose that rushing will never bring.

As women, we love to be in control. We want to know what’s next, how to get there, and what we need to do. When we don’t know what to do, we often fill the space with busyness, checking boxes, overcommitting, or chasing productivity for the sake of feeling “enough.” But Jesus simply calls us to seek Him.

And I've been there.

So many times in my life, I’ve filled my schedule. I’d pack my days with productive activities, church events, and small groups. For context, “small groups” are gatherings of believers who meet weekly to study Scripture and support one another. At one point, I was going to church five out of seven days a week. I was in three small groups, involved in college ministry, and there every Sunday.

Eventually, I ran myself thin. I wasn’t seeking Jesus for myself anymore; I was doing it out of obligation. My days were full of “good” things, but my heart was running on empty. That’s when I realized something important: the seasons when my faith feels weakest are always the ones when I’m living from a works-based faith instead of resting in grace.

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Mary and Martha

There's no better reminder than the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10.

Martha wanted to get everything right. She welcomed Jesus into her home, cooked, cleaned, and did everything she thought she was supposed to do. Her sister, Mary, did the opposite, she sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him. Naturally, Martha became frustrated. After all, she was doing all the work. Luke 10:40 says, “Martha came to him and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’”

I’ve heard people criticize Martha and say, “If Jesus were in my living room, I’d sit with Him!” But would we really? In the Bible, Jesus often showed up at unexpected times and in unexpected ways. Many of us, like Martha, get so caught up in preparing for Him that we miss the chance to simply be with Him. We tell ourselves that we need to “get it together” before we can truly spend time with God. But Jesus isn’t looking for perfection; He’s looking for presence.

In Luke 10:41-42, Jesus gently corrects her: “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus wasn’t condemning Martha’s work; He was reminding her that being with Him is better than doing for Him. We can get so caught up in serving, striving, or “doing the right things” that we forget to simply sit at His feet. Jesus doesn’t want your constant activity; He wants your attention.

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We can get so caught up in doing this that we forget the beauty of just sitting with Jesus. He never asks for your perfection. He only wants your presence. So stop filling your time with things to please Him because you think you're supposed to. Fill your time with Him and Him only. Serving Jesus is not an obligation; we begin to want it.

I read Practicing The Way by John Mark Comer, and one specific quote stuck out to me from Saint Francis de Sales,

"He looks at me, I look at Him, we are happy."

This quote reflects a deep connection with the Lord. It reflects that we are not meant to work for His love with our effort or actions; we are meant to find it in the time we spend with Him.

I recently read a blog by Wes Harrison, and this stuck with me,

“We start to think that our works are somehow accepted by God as payment for sin, or that they make Him love us more or see us as more righteous.”

So take a breath. Let go of the pressure to perform. Rest in knowing that His love doesn’t depend on how much you do, but on who He is. When you stop striving for perfection and start sitting in His presence, you’ll find the peace your soul has been searching for.