Question: How can I be sure my decisions put God first instead of just pleasing myself?

Answer: You can start by making sure your decisions don’t go against the word of God! The two ways you can be guided with this is by praying for the Holy Spirit to help you, and by studying to know God’s word. In reading the Bible, we learn about the many promises Our Heavenly Father has made to us. One of these promises is that He will be there for us, and He will give us His Holy Spirit to guide us.

Jesus said, “…when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13 NKJV)

Unfortunately, there are times when we try to talk ourselves into believing that what we want is equal to what God wants. But this may not be the case. For example, we may want to support those who promote sinful behaviors, especially if they are people we like. We convince ourselves that it’s okay to support their sinful agendas as long as we’re not actually committing these sins ourselves and we like the good things these people may also do.

But God’s word says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7-8). If your support helps these people or others sin against God, then you are sharing in their sin! You are choosing to put their desires ahead of God’s commands. That’s not putting God first! As Believers, our first obedience must be to God. For to God, obedience is better than sacrifice. (See 1 Samuel 15:22)

A different type of example of not putting God first could happen in the way we respond to our achievements. When given the opportunity, we may enthusiastically give credit for our success to many people– our parents, teachers, mentors, and even ourselves. While acknowledging the help of all these people is fine, we must remember to give the main credit to God! He is the one who blessed us to be able to achieve that success by providing us with the various people, skills, wisdom, and opportunities that helped us to achieve. Therefore, make sure to give God the credit for His many blessings in your life.

Now, we are not perfect people. The only perfect one to walk this earth was our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! So, there are going to be times when we fail to put God first. Just remember that God loves us even when we fail Him. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you keep God first in your life. He will guide you and keep you on the right track.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-7)

Amen!