The Functional Life by M. Declan Morris is a guide for Christians who feel exhausted by their faith, viewing it as a stressful, impossible list of rules. Morris argues this soulful fatigue comes from reading the Bible through Western "legal glasses," which paints God as a strict cosmic Judge.

To find freedom, the book invites readers to put on Eastern "functional glasses". Through this lens:

God is a Master Craftsman, and the Bible is His owner's manual for human flourishing.

Good means "functional" (working as designed), while Evil means "dysfunctional" (sand in the gears).

Sin is "missing the mark," like an archer missing a target, which requires coaching rather than paralyzing shame.

Work is worship, erasing the divide between secular jobs and sacred duties.

Ultimately, believers are encouraged to stop striving in their own power, like rowing a boat, and instead catch the Wind of the Holy Spirit like a sailboat. This empowers readers to confidently partner with God to create functional "pockets of Eden" in their everyday lives.