The Backdrop
We don’t have to follow God too long before we start asking: “What does God want me to do with my life?”
It’s easy to spend a lot of mental energy languishing over that question, waiting on God to tell us plainly through some sort of burning bush experience. While waiting on God is always good, as are burning bushes, there are some specific things God asks His people to do—things we can do that we know line up with God’s will. It’s quite possible that God is looking to see what you do with these things before He gives you a burning bush experience.
The Scripture passages you see below give us specific detail about things God wants us to do, key word: specific—no wondering, no questioning, no guessing.
The What
Print these passages and underline activities you see that please God or that He asks us to do.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy to walk humbly with your God” (
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (
“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is My disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward” (
The So What
You may never again need to ask God what He wants you to do. God has given it to you right here. The things you have underlined give you a to-do list for life. You can have confidence that when you are doing these things you are doing God’s will. Now let’s fill in some detail.
Write on a separate piece of paper each item you underlined, placing each item in its own section of the page. Then spend a minute or two on each item and write down anything that comes to mind as a way to do these things that please God. We’ve given you some examples below, but wait until you’ve done this exercise before you look at the examples.
Examples:
1. Act justly:
-Be an advocate for the poor and oppressed.
-Be a compliant citizen: Quickly pay any fines or dues.
-Be a compliant friend: Pay any gas money you owe.
2. Love mercy:
-Dish out mercy generously.
-Move quickly to let people off the hook, such as those who wrong or hurt you.
3. Walk humbly with your God:
-Spend regular, consistent time with God and His Word. This puts you under His authority, a position that creates humbleness. It displays the fact that you know He is God and you’re not.
4. Look after orphans/cold water to a little one:
-Volunteer at a children’s home.
-Volunteer with an organization such as Big Brother/Big Sisters. You may not be old enough for certain jobs, but you still may be able to help the organization some way.
5. Look after widows in their distress:
-Make sure a widow (or widower) in your life has what she (or he) needs. Groceries? Trips to the doctor’s office? Snow-shoveling in the winter months? A game partner?
6. Keep from being polluted by the world:
-Identify the gateways you have in your life where the world’s pollution can enter: TV shows, music, magazines, social media, Internet, etc. Simply ask yourself if this information is affecting me positively or negatively. Does it support my walk with God or hinder it? Then do what you need to do to keep yourself from that influence.
Seal the Deal
Doing God’s will is simple. Dedicate yourself to these activities, and you will be doing God’s will for your life. Go ahead; give it a try and enjoy the fulfillment that comes from knowing you are doing what God wants you to do.
