Faith Beyond the Checklist: Moving from Performance to a Deeper Relationship with God

Have you ever felt like you were doing all the right things in your faith, reading your Bible, attending church, completing devotionals, and praying, but still felt like something was missing?

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with friend, Jody for an honest conversation about what happens when God reveals that faith is about more than checking spiritual boxes. Together, we explore the difference between performing faith and truly abiding in Christ.

Jody shares how retirement created space for her to recognize that although she was faithfully participating in Bible studies, devotionals, and prayer, she had unknowingly settled into a passive faith. Through a season of reflection, God began showing her that He wasn't asking for more activities. He was asking for more of her heart.

We also talk about surrender, control, prayer, grief, and the ongoing process of spiritual refinement. Jody vulnerably shares how losing her daughter in 2018 deepened her faith and how God continues to use both her pain and her healing to draw her closer to Him. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that our stories are never finished and that God continues shaping us in every season of life.

If you've ever struggled with striving, perfectionism, spiritual performance, or wondering why your faith feels stuck despite doing all the "right" things, this episode will encourage you to slow down, listen for God's voice, and pursue a deeper relationship with Him.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Moving from a checklist faith to an authentic relationship with God
• The difference between spiritual activity and spiritual intimacy
• Learning to surrender control and trust God's leading
• How prayer deepens our connection with God
• Walking through grief while holding onto faith
• God's ongoing work of refining and transforming us
• Finding purpose in every season of life
• Why your story isn't over yet

Friend, if you've been feeling spiritually dry, exhausted from striving, or longing for something deeper in your walk with God, I pray this conversation reminds you that God doesn't want your performance. He wants your heart.

If this episode encourages you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you don't miss future conversations.

And if God is teaching you something in your own life right now, I'd love to hear your story. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about being a guest on the podcast.

Looking for a place to rest, reflect, and reconnect with God? I'd also love to invite you to join us for the upcoming Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat, a peaceful weekend designed to help women encounter God in the middle of life's wilderness seasons.