Moving Beyond Religious Routines to Authentic Faith
After years of practicing faith, it’s easy to fall into simply “churching it” – going through religious motions without experiencing the true presence of God. This exploration of Matthew 15:7-9 challenges us to examine whether we’re living an authentic faith or just playing a religious role.
What Does it Mean to Just Be “Churching It”?
“Churching it” refers to merely going through worship routines while missing the genuine experience of God’s presence. It’s showing up physically but being emotionally and spiritually disconnected. The danger is that we can look religious on the outside while our hearts remain far from God.
How Do We Recognize Religious Hypocrisy?
Jesus confronted the Pharisees about this very issue, calling them hypocrites who “draw near with their mouth and honor with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” A hypocrite in this context means someone playing a character – looking the part of a faithful person without genuine devotion.
Signs You Might Be Just “Churching It”:
- Constantly watching the clock during worship
- Lacking spiritual stamina
- Prioritizing worldly activities over spiritual growth
- Going through religious motions without emotional investment
- Performing religious duties without heart engagement
What Causes Our Hearts to Drift from God?
Even legitimate pursuits can gradually pull us away from authentic faith:
- Career advancement
- Educational goals
- Pursuit of wealth
- Worldly comforts
- Daily distractions
These aren’t inherently wrong, but they can subtly crowd out our spiritual focus if we’re not careful.
The Danger of External Success Without Internal Devotion
Money and success can reveal what’s truly in our hearts. While there’s nothing wrong with having resources or comfort, the pursuit of these things shouldn’t overshadow our pursuit of God’s favor. True spiritual wealth comes from seeking God’s favor rather than chasing worldly success.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to move beyond routine religion to authentic faith:
- Evaluate your heart’s true condition during worship and daily spiritual practices
- Identify areas where legitimate pursuits might be crowding out your relationship with God
- Focus on seeking God’s favor rather than worldly success
Ask yourself:
- Am I truly experiencing God’s presence, or am I just going through religious motions?
- What distractions are pulling my heart away from authentic faith?
- How can I maintain spiritual authenticity while pursuing legitimate life goals?
- Am I seeking God’s favor above worldly success?
Remember, God desires genuine relationship over religious routine. Let’s commit to moving beyond just “churching it” to experiencing real, transformative faith.