Thank you for your thoughtful replies.
Using the term "God cares about" does not help, since God is not a man, and that term is more applicable to human beings. But believing on the Lord Jesus Christ must result in a life that is surrendered to Him, so
God "cares about" both your faith as well as your life in Christ.
Christians are servants of God, and stewards of the resources and gifts that He has given us. So God has a specific job for you on this earth. We are saved "unto good works", but good works are not the only thing that God wants to see. Your worship should precede your works. In essence, God "cares about" everything that happens within you and within your life, how you relate to Him and to others, and how you are a witness for Christ.
We are to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, which means a progressive transformation into the likeness of Christ (your total sanctification). His ultimate objective is your perfection -- spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess 5:23):
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice that God gives priority to the spirit over the soul, and the soul over the body.