I used to say that my love language was “productivity.” It was like a drug to me. The more I got accomplished the better I felt. And I got pretty good at it. I was managing schedules, showing up where I needed to, checking all the boxes. But somewhere along the way, I stopped being present. I was awake physically, but spiritually? Emotionally? I was running on autopilot.
Jess calls this out so clearly: we can be productive and still spiritually asleep.
That truth hit me hard. Because I know what it’s like to be surrounded by good things and still feel numb. I’ve walked through seasons where I was doing all the right things, but missing the heart of it—because I wasn’t actually awake to what God was doing in me and around me.
“Wake up, sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” – Ephesians 5:14
This verse isn’t just poetic—it’s a call to attention. To stop sleepwalking through life. To tune our hearts back to His voice. To let the light of Christ shine into the places where we’ve gone dull or distant or disconnected.
For me, waking up has looked like learning to slow down long enough to notice what I’m feeling instead of pushing through. It’s looked like bringing my real self—not my polished self—into God’s presence. And it’s looked like asking the hard question:
What is God doing in me right now that I’ve been too distracted to see?
If you feel like you’re going through the motions, you’re not alone. But you don’t have to stay there. Jesus doesn’t just want your effort—He wants your heart, fully awake and fully His.
Reflect:
Where have you been running on autopilot?
What’s one small way you can become more aware of God’s presence this week?
What’s He trying to wake you up to?
You were made for more than functioning.
You were made to live fully awake in the presence of a living God.