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God, Am I Just Doing This for Likes?

This week, I’ve been sitting with one heavy but necessary question: Am I performing or am I real? I mean really real. Not “Sunday morning, I’m blessed and highly favored” real. I’m talking “laying my heart bare before God with no filter, no applause, and no audience,” real.


It takes a lot of courage to admit you’ve been playing the part instead of truly living it. So when God shows up, checks your heart, and brings you back to what matters, that's being truly inspired.


Scripture tells us to examine ourselves. Not casually. Not when we get around to it. But intentionally and honestly. “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” — 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)


So I did.


And to be honest, some things were aligned with God. But the other parts? Pure performance. Places where I’ve made ministry, writing, and even worship about people’s reactions instead of God’s presence. Where I’ve caught myself checking stats, wondering about likes, comments, and who’s watching instead of asking, “God, are You pleased with this?”


Fish jumping out of bowl.
Am I Following Jesus or Just Playing Church?

You've heard the phrase, "Check yourself before you wreck yourself." Well, sometimes you start with pure motives and then drift into performance mode. We get so used to doing things for God that we stop being with Him. We show up polished and practiced, but underneath it, our spirits are tired, dry, and craving authenticity.


Please don't confuse being busy with being faithful. I have to remember not to mix them up. Just because I’m running around or doing a lot doesn’t mean I’m really committed.


Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Not weekly. Not when we feel inspired. Daily.


Uh-huh, "...before you wreck yourself."


Truth be told, some days, I’ve been carrying ambition instead of the cross. Saying “yes” to things because I wanted to be recognized, not because I was being obedient. And God is not impressed by performance. He’s after purity of heart.


Search my heart, God.
Search me, God.

Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

That’s my prayer this week. Not for applause, not for approval, but for alignment. Lord, align my heart with Yours.


I’m asking you the same thing I asked myself: Are you performing or are you real? Are you sharing because God told you to or because you want attention? Are you worshiping because you love Him or because it looks good on the ‘Gram?


This isn’t about guilt. It’s about growth. It’s not about shame. It’s about being sharpened. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being honest.


Let’s get back to our first love. Let’s sit with the hard questions. Let’s make space for the Holy Spirit to check us and change us.


Let’s not perform. Let’s be inspired for real. Let’s follow Jesus, not for the claps, but for the cross.


If this message resonates with you as it did with me, don’t just scroll past it. Sit with it. Pray on it. Let God do the heart work. And if you're feeling bold, share this with someone who’s trying to keep it real, too. Let's grow together, not just in public, but in private, where it counts the most.


Drop a comment, send a message, or let me know how I can pray for you. We’re in this walk together—for real.

Janette Owens is the founder of Be Inspired For Real and owner of Be Inspired For Real LLC. She loves everything inspirational and has spent most of her life inspiring and motivating others through humor, prose, exhortation, and the power of God's grace. Janette is the author of A Swan Song, an intimate collection of poems and short stories. Janette lives just outside of Memphis, Tennessee.

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