Strength to do what is right

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us unfailing courage and a firm hope, encourage you and strengthen you to always do and say what is good.
(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 GNB)

I have found that the Christian life usually falls into one of two camps - doing what feels right or doing what the Bible says. The “doing what feels right” camp is filled with Christians with good intentions but do not take time to know God intimately. They have an understanding based on their upbringing and/or the lessons they hear at church, as a matter of fact the act of going to church has become very important to them as it is their life-line to knowing about God but their interest in God seems to stop there. Outside of church their lives are filled with the business of being a parent or spouse or grandparent or a good employee, one who is active in their community and social gatherings. Somewhere along the lines they fall into the trap that the decisions they make are good because they love going to church, their family, and friends but where is God in the equation?

The second camp “doing what the Bible says” is not as large but the people in it have more depth in their spiritual lives and therefore they are more sensitive to the moving of God’s Holy Spirit. Daily they connect with the One who is responsible for all life, their time with God is priceless, and if they miss their time alone with Him their whole day is off kilter and they can’t wait for their next chance to be alone with Him. These love church too but not for the social value but for the opportunity to be involved in corporate worship and to serve their community alongside others who desire to see God’s will happening among them. Missing church is not as devastating to them because they sense God is with them wherever they go but they are also mindful of those around them and do things that witness to their spirits what is right and good, as Paul talks about not eating meat or drinking wine for the sake of his brother (Romans 14:21).

In our lives we must recognize the difference between what feels right and actual righteousness. Righteousness will always require more thought, more sensitivity to God’s leading, and the flesh will always resist. The very things that have kept us from following righteousness in the first place, will become indicators to those who now follow the unseen. Unlike others they are not doing what feels right or hoping by process of osmosis that they make the right decisions because they have surrounded themselves with people who talk about doing right. No, these indicators have only become useful because they have put God first, as they hunger for His righteousness, and as they daily strive to step in His footsteps. Another indicator is this, after doing what feels right you are often left with a thought other than pleasing God. You are proud of what you have done for someone else or you wish they would get their act together so you wouldn’t have to keep doing for them what they should do for themselves but if you have actually done what God has instructed your overwhelming thought is that you have pleased God – this is why Jesus emphasized motives of the heart. So pay attention to these signs and see which camp you fall in, I have been in both but I want to live in “doing what the Bible says” camp and for that I pray for strength to do what is right and I pray the same for you.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. O LORD my God, You have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all Your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that You have made me listen, I finally understand—You don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. Then I said, "Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: I take joy in doing Your will, my God, for Your instructions are written on my heart."
(Psalms 40:4-8 NLT)