“For so long, I measured my worth by my achievements. But when I started chewing on God’s love for me—not for what I do, but for who I am—I finally found rest from the pressure to prove myself.”
Why Performance Keeps Us Stuck
In our culture, it’s easy to believe you are what you accomplish. Whether it’s grades, promotions, parenting wins, or even spiritual “success,” the drive to perform can leave you exhausted, anxious, and always wondering if you’re enough. But God’s love isn’t earned by performance—it’s a gift, freely given. When you chew on this truth, you can finally rest, knowing you are loved just as you are.
How to CHEW for Freedom from Performance
1. Confess—Name Your Need to Prove Yourself
- “God, I feel like I have to earn Your love and everyone else’s approval.”
- “I’m tired of measuring myself by my success or failure.”
- “I’m afraid to slow down because I don’t want to feel ‘less than.’”
- Brief Prayer: “Lord, I bring You my striving and my fear. Help me rest in Your love.”
2. Hear—Let God’s Word Speak Rest and Acceptance
- “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
- “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1)
- Brief Prayer: “Holy Spirit, remind me that Your love is a gift, not a reward.”
3. Exchange—Chew on a Rest-Filled Question
- “If I really believed God loves me apart from my performance, how would that change the way I approach today?”
- “If I really believed my worth is secure in Christ, how would that change my response to success or failure?”
- “If I really believed rest is holy, not lazy, how would that change my schedule and my heart?”
- Brief Prayer: “Jesus, help me let go of striving and receive Your rest and acceptance.”
4. Walk—Practice Living Loved, Not Driven
- Pause when you feel pressure to perform and pray your chew question.
- Say no to one unnecessary task or expectation and choose rest instead.
- Celebrate small steps of faithfulness, not just big achievements.
- Share your struggle with a friend and ask for encouragement to rest in God’s love.
- Thank God for loving you as you are, not as you wish you could be.
- Brief Prayer: “Father, help me live from Your love, not for approval—from rest, not from striving.”
Mini Story
“There was a season when I felt like I had to ‘do more’ to be worthy—at work, at home, even at church. But as I started chewing on Matthew 11:28, I realized Jesus was inviting me to rest, not perform. I began to say no to things that weren’t mine to carry and yes to moments of quiet, laughter, and worship. God’s love became my anchor, not my reward.”
Continue Your Journey: Living Loved, Not Driven
Today, let your CHEW practice focus on freedom from performance.
Pause at least three times—when you feel the urge to prove, when you succeed, and when you fail.
Write down or share one way you experienced God’s rest and acceptance today.
Invite a friend or family member to join you, and encourage each other to chew on God’s unconditional love.
Ready for more?
Keep going with the next blog in the series: “Experiencing the Fruit of the Spirit in Real Life.”
See how God’s love grows real fruit—like joy, peace, and patience—as you keep chewing on His truth. If you’d like to revisit the previous blog in the series, see here.
Transparency Note: This series is crafted in collaboration with advanced AI tools and thoughtfully finalized by the 1st Principle Group staff to ensure biblical faithfulness and practical relevance for our readers.
