The Divine Exchange: Trading Your Plans for God’s Purposeಮಾದರಿ

From Performance to Presence

I used to measure my worth by productivity. If I wasn’t producing something, I felt like I was failing someone — usually God. My prayers sounded suspiciously like project updates: “Lord, here’s what I’ve accomplished this week. Please note my progress.”

Somewhere along the way, I confused serving God with performing for Him. I thought if I worked hard enough, planned well enough, and stayed busy enough, I’d make Him proud. But busyness isn’t the same as fruitfulness — and it’s certainly not the same as intimacy.

When my business closed, my performance identity collapsed with it. Suddenly, I had nothing impressive to present — no schedules, no clients, no visible success. Just me and God. And to my surprise, He didn’t seem disappointed. He seemed… relieved.

It was in that quiet season that I learned His presence isn’t a reward for performance — it’s the reset for it. God doesn’t need our constant doing; He desires our being. When I stopped performing and started abiding, I discovered something far better than results — I found rest.

Now, when I feel the urge to “earn” His love, I remind myself: He loved me long before I produced anything worth publishing.

Lesson
God didn’t call you to perform; He called you to dwell. His approval isn’t earned by what you achieve but received through who you are in Christ. When presence becomes your priority, peace becomes your productivity.