CHOOSING WHAT TO DO

"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" - Acts 9:6

Do you make plans in advance? To a certain extent, most of us do. Whether it is planning work to do around the house, where to go on vacation or choosing how to spend your paycheck, we often make plans in advance. Perhaps you already have plans made for tomorrow or the week to come.

Sadly, many people make plans without consulting God. It is His plans, not ours, that matter most. At best --- at very best --- our plans are tentative. God may change them without notice.

How do we discern God's plans? The answer is simple. Read your Bible. The more you read the Bible, the more you learn about God's will. Learn His will. Obey His will.

I don't consider myself to be an expert on anything, but when it comes to making choices about what to do, I have found four truths to be apparent:

1. THERE ARE SOME THINGS I CAN'T DO

There are some things I simply can't do. I cannot heal someone of cancer. If I had the cure to cancer, I'd certainly make it available for everyone. But I don't. I'm not even a doctor. There are some things I can't do. In the self-help and self-improvement market, there are many say, "If you can believe it, you can achieve it." What nonsense!!! There are many things I can't do, regardless of how hard I believe. If I believe that I can make it snow in July here in West Virginia, it doesn't change the fact that I can't make it happen. There are some things I can't do. All of us need to realize this. Too many people waste time trying to do things that they know, in advance, they can't do. It is a frustrating act of futility.

2. THERE ARE SOME THINGS I SHOULDN'T DO

There are some things I shouldn't do. I shouldn't hurt others. I shouldn't lie. I should steal. I shouldn't commit a felony --- or even a misdemeanor for that fact. In recent days, we have seen chaos in the streets of many cities in America. While peaceful protesting may be legal, acts of vandalism, rioting, arson and physical harm are obviously wrong and evil. Such people not only violate the laws of our land, they violate the law of God. These individuals are doing things they know they shouldn't do. Regardless of the publicity and support they may receive from others, it doesn't change the fact it is wrong. The same holds true for us. There are some things we shouldn't do. If the truth be known, there are many people who are burdened with the regret of past sins. They knew better but went ahead and did what they wanted to do anyhow. I believe grace is available for such regrets, but how much better it would be to avoid those regrets in the first place. There are some things we shouldn't do.

3. THERE ARE SOME THINGS I COULD DO

But there are many things I can do. The number of options seem endless. When a teenager faces adulthood, the future seems so bright and the opportunities seem endless. Yet there comes a time when we realize that, although the options are many, we can't utilize all of them. In fact, we shouldn't. To be honest, there are only 24 hours in the day. There are many good civic organizations I could volunteer for, but I just don't have time available to participate in them. There are some things I could do, but I can't do them all. But that leads us to the last and most important thought.

4. THERE ARE SOME THINGS I SHOULD DO

Yes, there are a few things I can't do. There are several things I shouldn't do. There are many things I could do. But there are certain things I should do. Knowing my purpose and calling in life quickly separates the things I should do from the things I could do. Let me put it this way. There are many good things I could do, but I want to focus on the best things I should do. In other words, if I know my purpose and my calling, I know what is most important. The priorities set by my calling will always trump the lesser important issues. The same holds true for you. Organize your life around your purpose and calling.  Keep in mind that you can only do God's will with His divine help.

I mentioned four things: things I can't do, things I shouldn't do, things I could do and things I should do. If I try to live in the first area, I will be frustrated. If I live in the second area, I will have lifelong regrets. If I live in the third area, I will waste my life. But if I live in the fourth area --- doing the things I SHOULD do --- I can live a fulfilled life, accomplishing what I was put here on earth to do, and ultimately face God unashamed.

What about you? If you don't know what to do with your life, then pray like Saul of Tarsus, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" Saul learned what he should do and when he obeyed God, he was used to turn the world upside down.

When it comes to the choice of what to do, leave that choice up to God and you'll never go wrong.