What does God want me to do?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

We are human beings , not human doings . Our actions flow from who we are. God wants us to cultivate a deep, loving relationship with Him, prioritizing Him above all else and seeking to know Him more intimately (Matthew 22:37). He desires that we know Him and find our fulfillment in Him as we turn to Him for salvation. Out of this salvation, He wants us to love others as we love ourselves, showing kindness, compassion, and respect in all our interactions (Matthew 22:39). God calls us to walk humbly with Him and to follow His commandments (Micah 6:8; Ecclesiastes 12:13). In essence, God calls us to wholehearted devotion to Him, genuine love for others, and a humble, obedient heart that aligns with His call and purposes. When we are saved, the specifics of what God calls us to do—what career to take, person to marry, where to live, and many more specifics—find their answer in simply living for Him.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Micah 6:8 tells us what God wants us to do: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” God does not want our deeds, our sacrificial offerings, gifts, or the good efforts of our work (Micah 6:6–7). God wants our hearts.
• Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 3:3–15; 4:30; 10:1–9), raised numerous questions about what God wants us to do in the book of Ecclesiastes. He concluded by saying: "fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecclesiastes 12:13). To fear God is to have great respect, or reverence, for God, recognizing Him as the King who is fully holy (Ecclesiastes 5:1; Isaiah 6:1–7).
• God wants us to love Him (Deuteronomy 6:5) and to love others (Leviticus 19:18) who are made in His image (Genesis 1:27).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• God is foremost concerned with our relationship to Him through Jesus Christ (John 1:12; 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:8–9).
• First Timothy 2:3–4 tells us that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Everything else God wants us to do comes in light of our salvation in Him.
• Once we are saved, God calls us to love God and love others. Jesus said these commandments sum up everything else God wants us to do (Matthew 22:36–40). He also told His disciples that their love for one another would be a reflection of Him (John 13:34–35).
• God calls us to live humbly, just as He humbled Himself to save us from our sins (Philippians 2:6–8). Humility means we follow Christ’s attitude and consider others above ourselves, serving them gladly (Philippians 2:3–4).
• The New Testament is filled with practical instructions regarding specific things God wants us to do such as sharing the good news of salvation and making disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:18–20; 1 Peter 3:15), living honorable lives (1 Peter 2:12–17), doing good to others especially other believers (Galatians 6:10), and living out kingdom values (Matthew 6:6–14; 7:7–11).
• Believers are also called to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh (Galatians 5:16–26).
• God wants us to do things that bring Him glory, which, incidentally, is also ultimately life-giving for us (John 15:1–11; Philippians 2:12–13; Romans 12:1–2; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
• God equips us to do the things He wants us to do (2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 1:6; 2:13).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

In your day-to-day living, talk to God regularly, get to know Him more and more by reading the Bible and listening to what He is saying to you. Commit yourself to becoming a follower of Jesus (Matthew 4:19), dropping the false gods and temporary pleasures this world has to offer and instead setting your mind and heart toward discovering who Jesus is and becoming more and more like Him every day (Romans 12:1–2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 2:15–17). Read God's Word and obey it, relying on His Holy Spirit to help you.

When you wonder about what school to go to, career to pursue, where to live, what church to be a part of or any of the thousands of life changing decisions we are confronted with in our lives, take comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit guides Christians. Jesus says of Him, "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:26).

God wants us to live our lives in His freedom and His ways, helped by the Holy Spirit, obeying the teachings of Jesus, having a high view of who God is and what He does, and going and loving others. In doing so you will, by the grace of God, live a life marked by "the fruit of the Spirit [which] is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22–23).

UNDERSTAND

• God wants you to develop a deep, loving relationship with Him, trusting in Him for the forgiveness of sins.
• Out of your relationship with God, He desires you to love Him and love others.
• God calls you to walk humbly with Him, obey His commandments, and live in a way that reflects His will and character.

REFLECT

• What does loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind look like in everyday life?
• How can you bridge the gap and open conversation with people who do not yet believe in God about the purpose of life?
• How does knowing what God wants us to do fuel the rest of how we live?

ENGAGE

• What does knowing what God wants us to do reveal about His character and His plans and purposes for humanity?
• How do the things mentioned in this article compare to what we often stress or worry about regarding what God wants us to do?
• How can we live life well, prioritizing the things God wants us to do?