This blog post is all about what does God expect from you.
Many often think that God expects way too much from them, more than anyone should. I thought that. I thought there was no way to live how God wants us to live, especially nowadays!
Are you kidding me!!
I’m going to miss out on fun adventures and memories, making new friends, and finding the love of my life at a honky tonk bar. I thought I had to be this dull, boring person who all I did was sit at home, praying 24/7, reading my Bible 24/7, and not even thinking about speaking to a stranger in hopes they didn’t elude me from God.
Boy, was I COMPLETELY WRONG!
I didn’t grow up in a Christian household, so everything I knew about God & religion came from mostly lukewarm or worldly people. And while they didn’t mean to cause me any harm, their opinions on God were solely based on their experience with certain Christians, or they didn’t really know God either.
I also remember how Christian kids (by kids, I mean high school/College kids) in school were picked as being the “weird” ones because they didn’t do what the “cool kids” did. They didn’t drink, go out to have fun (a.k.a be wild or reckless), associate with “fun activities,” or try new things.
And, of course, I didn’t want to be a weird kid; I wanted to be a cool kid!
One day, in the midst of contemplating what to do with my life, I wondered if there really was a God. Is there a God who guides my life? If so, what does he expect from me?
So the Google searches started…
“What does God expect from me?”
“What does God expect from Christians?”
“How to become a Christian”
“What not to do as a Christian”
“What to do as a Christian”
And I went down the rabbit hole! Hours, days, and months went by, and I kept googling and googling.
Slowly, I started to read straight from the Bible. I grabbed a Bible that’s been tucked away in a random cabinet and started reading any book in the Bible to see if I could find what God expects from me.
Here’s what I’ve found… This is Part 1 of who knows how many!
If you need help learning where & how to start reading your Bible, Here’s the best guide on how to start reading your bible!
What Does God Expect From You
1 John 5:3 “For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome…”
Isaiah 48:18 “O if only you would actually pay attention to my commandment! Then your peace would become just like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.”
The first thing to remember is that God’s commandments are not burdensome. What he expects of you isn’t something far from reach. HIS commandments are meant to benefit us instead of causing anxiety, depression, added life stressors, or oppress us.
You will not miss out on developing friendships or exciting experiences in life. You will not long for that extra alcoholic beverage you know you shouldn’t drink or that “how I met your mother at a bar” love story.
On the contrary, the more you learn what God expects from you and apply HIS commandments to your life, the more peace, tranquility, confidence, giving, and happiness you will have!
His commandments are purely to protect your body, mind, and soul.
8 Things God Expects From You
To Not Be Anxious For Anything
Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”
Anxiety seems to be increasing by the minute. Prescription pills are prescribed to all sorts of people, left and right, young and old.
And what does God expect from us?
To not be anxious over anything. Nothing, Nada, Zero.
Anxiety is often stemmed from things we cannot control. The prices of groceries keep skyrocketing, yet your income hasn’t increased to match the inflation, so your anxiety increases.
Why?
Because you feel out of control with everything that is going on in your life. You can’t control the price of groceries, causing anxiety and stress. You can’t give yourself a raise; it’s out of your control again, causing anxiety and stress. (This is just an example.)
But remember, you were never in control in the first place. God is. And if you let your petitions be made known to him and follow his commandments, he will give you peace and guard your heart and mental health. If you throw yourself to him, he will catch you. He will never let you fall. (1 Peter 5:7)
Free of the Love of Money
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your way of life be free of the love of money, while you are content with the present things. For he said: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.”
Money itself is not bad; it’s necessary to live on earth. It’s also not wrong to work and have a savings account in the bank. What God doesn’t want you to do is develop a love for money that consumes your life to the point where you are doing questionable things to earn more or overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion, depression, and anxiety.
Having a healthy view of money is essential. A book that I absolutely love and highly recommend on the topic of money is The Psychology of Money. It is by far the best book that I’ve read regarding money.
God Expects You to Throw Your Burden on Him
Psalms 55:22 “Throw your burden on Jehovah, And he will sustain you. Never will he allow the righteous one to fall.”
1 Peter 5:7 “… while you throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”
Multiple times throughout the Bible, you will read how God longs to hear from You and wants YOU to throw all your problems to him! He’s ready to listen to you whenever you are ready to share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the great!
He often asks of you to throw your anxieties at him because he knows how much his kiddos have to go through here on earth and how Satan is after them like a lion, trying to confuse and steer them away from salvation.
To Love HIM Wholeheartedly
Deuteronomy 6:5 “You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength.”
One thing God wants from You more so than expects is for you to love him wholeheartedly. More than anything in the world, more than your career, life, hobbies, favorite meal, home, car, etc.
He wants you to love him above all things.
Love One Another
1 John 4:11 “Beloved ones, if this is how God loved us, then we are also under obligation to love one another.”
Often, this scripture is taken out of context and pushed to support things the Bible says we should not support. I always say you should Love one another and show people love, but it doesn’t mean you have to love their sins or celebrate their sins.
Does that make sense?
A few ways to express your love to others can be done by hosting, being quick to listen, being generous, sharing happy moments with others, etc.
Hate What is Bad
Psalms 97:10 “O you who love Jehovah, hate what is bad…”
God hates…
- Haughty eyes
- Lying tongue
- Hands that shed innocent blood
- A heart plotting wicked schemes
- Feet that run quickly to evil
- False witness who lies with every breath
- Anyone sowing contentions among brothers
Stop Keeping Company With Those Who…
1 Corinthians 5:11-13 “But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.”
This is the hardest yet the best thing you can do in your life. We often hear the saying, “tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are…” Well, it has some truth to it.
God wants us to stop keeping company with anyone who exhibits these qualities or lifestyles and claims to be a brother or sister.
Many say, “well, Jesus hung out with sinners.” And while that is true, Jesus is perfect. There was no sin found in him. No one could make him stumble, not even satan himself. He came to the earth to preach the good news and change many’s hearts, not the other way around.
We, on the other hand, are not Jesus. Whether we like it or not, we are easily influenced by the people around us. Sooner or later, their type of lifestyle that goes against God could rub off on you.
To Change Your Old Habits/Personality (Bad Habits or Wrong Conduct)
Colossians 3:9: “Strip off the old personality with its practices and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it…”
What does God expect from you? To let go of your old personality and change. As you learn more about God, Jesus, and his commandments, the more you will learn what type of individual you should be.
One way you can do this is through prayer. And allowing God to mold you into his ways. After all, he is the perfect potter, and you are his dust. Let him build you in his perfect way!
Conclusion: What does God expect from you
There are a few things that God expects from you.
- To be anxious for nothing
- Free of the love of Money
- Throw your burden on HIM
- Love God Wholeheartedly
- Love One Another
- Hate what is bad
- Stop keeping company with people who do not follow God’s word
- Strip off your old personality.
