Not a Check List Year

 I am a checklist person. Who else is with me? There's something magical about having a list of tasks written down, and the sweet satisfaction that comes when I get to draw that big, bold mark through something—DONE. It’s a small act, but it fills me with so much joy. Maybe that makes me sound a little insane, but let’s be honest: I sometimes break my tasks into multiple layers, just to give myself more opportunities to check things off. I will be honest, it makes my cleaning projects look intense but so much more focused and don't get my started on mh schoolwork projects like this. Psychologists say that this little act of crossing something off a list releases “happy chemicals” in our brains, keeping us motivated. And while I’m no expert in psychology, I can vouch for how true that is. It works for me every time.

But here’s the twist: what if we approach the most important things in life the same way? What if we reduce our relationship with God to another item on the checklist?

That thought hit me hard this morning. As I was listening to a murder mystery podcast (which lead me to know it was God because my mind was so many other place), I clearly heard a whisper in my heart: “Don’t let this year be a checklist year.”

I’ll admit, it threw me off. I thought, "God, what do You mean? I’m not a checklist person when it comes to You!" But as I sat with those words, I realized just how much I have been. The truth is, I’ve put on this façade, pretending I’m living this perfect, spiritual life, constantly on God’s side. I serve at church—a lot. I spend time in prayer—a lot. I do all the right things. But deep down, I’ve allowed negative self-talk and doubt to weigh me down. I’ve felt like I was drowning in the routine, gasping for air.

Have you ever felt that? Like everything on the outside looks fine, but inside, you’re just surviving? If we’re honest with ourselves, it's easy to slip into this mindset, where even our connection with God becomes a to-do item that fits neatly into a checklist.

So why do we do this?

Maybe it’s convenience. It’s so much easier to write out a simple list that says:

•  Wake up at 6 am

•  Make the bed

•  Get dressed

•  Pray and read the Bible

•  Go to work

•  Eat supper

•  Pray and read the Bible again

•  Sleep

It feels secure when life is boiled down to this predictable rhythm. And let’s be honest, sometimes it feels good to check “pray” off the list. But here’s the catch: when we only fit God into our schedule when it’s convenient, what happens when He wants to interrupt?

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I get frustrated when God messes with my routine. When I don't have time to make the bed just so, or when I'm rushing to get somewhere and God nudges me to talk to someone at the gas station. In those moments, I get irritated because my agenda’s been interrupted. But, if I stop and listen, I realize: that was on the list for me today. It was part of God's plan, not my own.

Is it fear that causes us to turn God into a checklist item? Maybe we’re scared to forget our prayer time or Bible reading, so we mark it down, almost out of obligation. I mean, there’s no way I can skip my time with God, right? (I’m not saying I’ve ever said, “Sorry, I can’t come to that party because I need to pray”—but you get the idea!) Maybe it’s easier to make our spiritual practices part of the schedule, rather than not having them at all.

But here’s the big question: What if we weren’t meant to live this way? What if God is calling us to something more than just ticking off boxes? What if He’s asking us to live freely, with Him as the center, not an item we mark off our list?

I’m not just talking about letting go of the “to-do” list for this year. I’m talking about surrendering the way we’ve always done things. What if we let go of our own plans and surrendered our 2025 to the checklist of the Lord instead of our own? What if, instead of letting the routine of life dictate our spiritual journey, we allowed God to radically change us—even right now?

In Isaiah 55:8-9, God reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways… As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Maybe it’s time we start living in a way that reflects God’s thoughts, rather than our own.

Will you surrender your year to God’s checklist? Will you let go of the routine and be open to the radical, sometimes inconvenient ways He wants to move in your life? Will you choose to make this year not a checklist year, but a year of freedom, faith, and adventure with Him?

This is my surrender, and I pray it’s yours, too. Let’s make 2025 different. Let's make it a year of living fully, not by our checklist, but by God's.