Sermon Series Blog: Get Over It Pt.2
Get Over Your Checklist: Rooted Faith That Lasts
I love a good restaurant. I really do. Especially for date night, I like to pretend I’m some sort of food critic, evaluating everything from the service to the vibe to the final bite of dessert. You’d think I was Gordon Ramsay himself the way I go on.
But here’s the kicker: I can’t cook. Not even toast without burning it. My only experience in a kitchen was as a dishwasher—and even that was questionable. And yet I still feel qualified to write Google reviews like a seasoned culinary expert.
Why? Because I base my evaluations on results. Did the food taste good? Was the service fast? Was the atmosphere inviting? I may have zero qualifications, but I can spot excellence when I see (or taste) it.
And this is how most of us live our lives, isn't it? We make judgments based on results. In sports. At work. In relationships. We say things like, “If I’m outperforming my coworkers, I deserve the bigger bonus.” It’s logical.
But when we bring this results-based mentality into our faith, things get murky.
The Christian Checklist Trap
Maybe you’re new to faith, or maybe you've been following Jesus for years. Either way, we often fall into this trap: treating our spiritual lives like a checklist.
✅ Read my Bible
✅ Didn't yell at the barista
✅ Gave $5 to that guy under the bridge
✅ Skipped that shady Netflix show
We start thinking Christlikeness is something we achieve through our efforts. And when we do well, we expect God to reward us—blessings now, please! But when we mess up, we carry guilt and shame like spiritual baggage.
We become professional critics of our own spiritual performance.
But here's the truth that God pierced my heart with this week:
“Blessed is the one...whose delight is in the law of the Lord...They are like a tree planted by streams of water.”
– Psalm 1:2-3
It’s not about how long your checklist is—it’s about how close you are to the source of life.
The Secret to Christlikeness Isn’t Trying Harder—It’s Getting Closer
Let’s get something straight: The goal isn’t Christlikeness.
Wait, what?
That’s right. Christlikeness is the result—not the goal.
The real goal? Closeness to God.
Look at what Jeremiah says:
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord... They will be like a tree planted by the water... It does not fear when heat comes... It never fails to bear fruit.”
– Jeremiah 17:7-8
Fruitfulness flows not from effort, but from proximity.
When you’re rooted in God’s Word, when your confidence is in Him—not your plans, not your talents, not your five-year strategy—you flourish even in drought. Even in the heat. Even in grief, uncertainty, anxiety, and loss.
Are You Trusting God or Trusting Yourself?
Jeremiah also gives us a warning:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man... That person will be like a bush in the wastelands.”
– Jeremiah 17:5-6
When we rely on human strength—our own or others’—we may find some worldly success, but we’ll be spiritually dry. Like a bush in a desert, disconnected from life-giving water.
The questions we must ask ourselves are:
Where do I place my trust?
Is my strength coming from the Vine (Jesus), or from my schedule and willpower?
Am I striving or abiding?
Because a checklist can’t keep you alive in the desert. But Jesus can.
Faith That Delights, Not Just Performs
Let me be real with you—Christmas came around, and I asked several seasoned Christians what they did to celebrate. Food. Presents. Games. Family traditions.
But most of them forgot one thing: the Word. The very reason for the season.
We’re so good at doing all the things, but we forget to simply be with God.
And when that happens, our hearts drift.
“The heart is deceitful above all things... I the Lord search the heart.”
– Jeremiah 17:9-10
Our feelings can’t be trusted. Our hearts can mislead. Culture tells us “follow your heart”—but God says, “Let Me examine it. Let Me lead it.”
So, Church… Get Over It
Yep. You heard me.
Get over your checklist.
Get over the idea that your performance earns God’s presence.
God is not standing at the door waiting to grade you. He’s already made a place for you on the couch—with pillows and blankets—and He's saying, “Come sit beside Me.”
He wants closeness, not just compliance.
Conclusion: The Root Determines the Fruit
You won’t become like Jesus by accident. And you won’t become like Him by checklist.
You become like Him when you treasure Him.
“I am the vine; you are the branches... apart from me you can do nothing.”
– John 15:5
Results-oriented faith says: “I did the thing, now bless me.”
Beauty-oriented faith says: “You are the blessing. I want to know You more.”
So today, choose beauty over results. Choose proximity over performance.
Delight in the law of the Lord. Stay rooted. Stay close. And you’ll never stop bearing fruit—even in the drought.
