Stop Striving — Start Trusting

Direct Answer: If you feel like you're not doing enough or not measuring up, the answer isn't to try harder — it's to become more intimate with God. Proverbs 3:5-6 in the Passion Translation says "Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go." That's the whole game. Just hang out with Him.

Life can be complicated. So I'm always looking for ways to simplify.

If you feel like you're not doing enough, not measuring up, or feel guilty about where you are compared to where you think you should be — this is for you.

What Does Proverbs 3:5-6 Actually Say?

I love how the Passion Translation renders Proverbs 3:5-6:

"Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go."

One phrase jumped off the page for me: "Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go."

I remember thinking: this sums it all up.

Why Do Christians Fall Into the Trap of "Doing" Instead of "Being"?

As a Christian, it's easy to fall into an endless rut of doing:

• I must read my Bible.
• I must pray.
• I must go to church.

These things are good and needed to grow. But it's easy to make our lives about checking boxes to feel good about ourselves rather than focusing on just being sons and daughters of God.

We are human beings made in the image of God — not human doings.

When we put the focus on what we do, we'll always feel inadequate. The standard is impossible to fully meet on our own.

If you've been striving in your calling or business, the same principle applies. The Kingdom Calling Profile isn't about adding another task to your list — it's about getting clear on who God made you to be and what He's already placed in you, so your steps come from identity rather than pressure.

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What Does This Look Like for Business Owners?

There are so many things going on in a business — so many new opportunities every day. The temptation is to keep doing more, optimizing more, striving more.

But the verse says something radical: become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you.

Just hang out with Him. Enjoy your relationship with your Heavenly Father. Let your Bible reading and prayer come from love and longing — not duty and guilt.

Isn't that so much simpler?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do so many Christians feel like they're never doing enough spiritually? Because we've confused the fruit of intimacy with the conditions for relationship. Reading your Bible and praying are responses to closeness with God — not requirements to earn it. When we treat them as performance benchmarks, we've swapped relationship for religion, and religion always leaves us feeling inadequate.

What does "becoming intimate with God" actually mean practically? It means including Him in your ordinary moments, not just your designated spiritual ones. Talking to Him in the car. Asking for His perspective before decisions. Noticing where He shows up in daily life. Intimacy is developed in the in-between moments, not just formal prayer times.

How do I break the cycle of striving and guilt in my spiritual life? Start by recognizing that the striving comes from a performance-based view of your relationship with God. You are already His son or daughter — fully accepted, fully loved. The disciplines of the faith are meant to be enjoyed as expressions of that relationship, not endured as conditions for it. Shift the question from "did I do enough today?" to "did I include Him in what I did today?"

Does this mean spiritual disciplines don't matter? They absolutely matter — but their source changes everything. Proverbs 3 says to trust completely and become intimate. Out of that intimacy, you'll naturally want to spend time in the Word and in prayer — not because you have to, but because you want to. The same activities look completely different when they come from love rather than obligation.

How does this principle apply to running a business? The same striving that shows up spiritually often shows up in business — the feeling that you're never doing enough, never moving fast enough, missing opportunities. Proverbs 3 says: become intimate with God in whatever you're doing, and He will lead you. That's not passive — it's trading anxious striving for directed trust.

What's the difference between rest and passivity when it comes to calling? Rest is active trust — you're still moving, still working, still taking steps, but doing so from a place of peace rather than panic. Passivity is sitting still waiting for something to change. Proverbs 3 calls us to trust and lean on Him, not to stop showing up. The difference is in the posture, not the pace.

How do I know what steps God is leading me toward in my calling? Intimacy is the precondition for direction. As you draw closer to Him, clarity about your specific calling tends to follow. The Kingdom Calling Profile is a practical tool that can help you name what He's already placed in you — your passion, burden, audience, and purpose — so the steps have a clear target.