Peace That Goes Beyond Performance

Which is closer to the center of your life as a Christian what you’re doing for God, or what God has already done for you through Jesus Christ?

Your answer to that question can reshape everything. Your mood, motivation, identity, humility, and joy all flow from the ground you’re standing on. And Jesus himself draws a line in the sand and points to one side as the only sure foundation: not your performance for him, but his finished work for you.

Ministry High

In Luke 10, Jesus sends out 72 disciples to proclaim his kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out demons. They return on a spiritual high: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” (Luke 10:17). They had tasted visible, powerful victory. Their ministry was going well.

And Jesus doesn’t correct their joy he enlarges it. “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” he says (v. 18). In other words, “Yes, your ministry is bearing fruit. In fact, it’s bigger than you think. Satan’s defeat is unfolding before your eyes.”

Then he promises, “I have given you authority . . . over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (v. 19). Jesus wants his followers to know they are both victorious and secure. Their spiritual authority is real, and so is their safety in him.

And then just when we expect him to say, “So rejoice in your powerful ministry!” he surprises us.

Joy More Solid Than Success

“Nevertheless,” Jesus says, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you” (v. 20).

Pause there. Why would Jesus say that?

Because even ministry success is a fragile place to stand. If our joy is rooted in how well things are going, we’re always vulnerable. What happens when things aren’t going well? What about the days we feel weak, tired, ineffective? When our plans fall through or fruit is slow to show?

Jesus points to a deeper joy: “. . . but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (v. 20). That’s a joy that doesn’t shift. It’s not built on this week’s results. It’s built on God’s grace, God’s promise, God’s handwriting.

Written by God

Think about that phrase: “your names are written in heaven.” You didn’t write your own name. God did. Before you performed, before you succeeded or failed, before you took your first breath God wrote your name.

Theologians call it the “divine passive.” Something happened to you. You didn’t achieve salvation. It was achieved for you, then gifted to you.

This is solid ground. Not a seesaw of performance, but a rock of grace. When you stand on this ground, you don’t rise and fall with ministry ups and downs. You’re steady. You’re free.

Off the Seesaw

When your joy is tied to your performance even “for God” you’ll live on a seesaw:

• One day, you feel spiritual and successful. You’re on top.

• The next day, you feel tired, distracted, or fruitless. You’re sunk.

That’s not how Jesus wants his disciples to live. He offers something better: joy rooted not in what you do for God, but in what he has already done for you.

This doesn’t mean we stop caring about faithfulness. It doesn’t mean ministry fruit doesn’t matter. It just means our identity and joy don’t hinge on them.

Free to Rejoice and to Fail

When your name is written in heaven, you’re free to rejoice on your best days and your worst. You’re free to work hard, risk boldly, and love people deeply without needing success to prove your worth.

And you’re free to fail. To try something in ministry that doesn’t go well. To give your all and see little visible fruit. And still sleep at night, knowing your name is secure in the book of life.

This joy humbles us (because we didn’t earn it) and unites us (because all believers share it). It lifts the crushing burden of comparison and lets us serve from peace, not for peace.

Unshakable Joy

So ask yourself again:

Which is closer to the center of your Christian life what you’re doing for God, or what God has already done for you through Jesus Christ?

If you’ve been riding the seesaw of performance, Jesus invites you off. He offers better ground.

Rejoice that your name is written. Rejoice in what can never be undone. Rejoice in Christ.

Want more gospel-rooted encouragement like this in your inbox? Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for updates.