Susan Maycinik once wrote the following essay for Discipleship Journal:

“The line between obedience and performance can be a blurry one. Yet it is an important distinction to grasp, because obedience leads to life, and performance to death…

Obedience is seeking God with your whole heart. Performance is having a quiet time because you’ll feel guilty if you don’t.

Obedience is finding ways to let the Word of God dwell in you richly. Performance is quickly scanning a passage so you can check it off your Bible reading plan.

Obedience is inviting guests to your home for dinner. Performance is feeling anxious about whether every detail of the meal will be perfect.

Obedience is following God’s prompting to start a small group. Performance is reluctance to let anyone else lead the group because they might not do it as well as you would.

Obedience is doing your best. Performance is wanting to be the best.

Obedience is saying yes to whatever God asks of you. Performance is saying yes to whatever people ask of you.

Obedience is following the promptings of God’s Spirit. Performance is following a list of man-made requirements.

Obedience springs from fear of God. Performance springs from fear of failure.”

There is a good reason why there is an old hymn called “Trust and Obey”, but none called “Trust and Perform”!

“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”—John 15:10.