Do First Things First: What Did God Tell You to Do?

Have you ever found yourself praying and asking God what you should do next? You're looking for direction, asking for clarity, and waiting for Him to give you some kind of sign. But let me ask you something. What was the last thing God told you to do? And did you do it?

Now, don't get quiet on me. We're just having a conversation.

Sometimes we're so busy asking God what's next that we haven't done what He told us to do first. We want Him to show us the whole picture, explain how everything is going to work out, and give us some reassurance along the way. But God doesn't always work like that. Sometimes He gives us one instruction, and it's up to us to follow it.

And let's be real. Sometimes we know exactly what we need to do. We just don't want to do it.

Maybe it's forgiving someone, changing a habit, making a decision, or walking away from something we've been holding on to for far too long. We keep praying about it, hoping that somehow the instructions will change. But what if God has already answered us, and we're the ones refusing to accept the answer?

Here's something else I've been thinking about. Sometimes we have such a tight grip on what we want that we can't even recognize when God is telling us to let it go.

We hold on to our plans, relationships, expectations, and desires like they're some kind of security blanket. Even when they're not bringing us peace, we keep holding on because they're familiar. We've invested so much time and energy into them that the thought of letting go makes us uncomfortable.

And all the while, God may be saying, "Hands off. I didn't tell you to hold on to that. I didn't tell you to carry that. Let it go."

But there we are, still holding on for dear life.

We pray over it, try to fix it, make excuses for it, and sometimes even convince ourselves that God must be telling us to keep going because we want it so badly.

But just because we want something doesn't mean God told us to pursue it.

And just because something has been part of our lives for a long time doesn't mean it's supposed to remain there.

That's a hard pill to swallow sometimes, especially when we've already decided how we want things to turn out. We want God to bless our plans, but are we willing to surrender those plans when they don't line up with His direction?

Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding. That's something we quote often, but living it is another story. Because trusting God means accepting that He may lead us in a direction we didn't expect or ask us to release something we thought we needed.

And sometimes the hardest part of obedience isn't doing something. It's stopping something.

It's taking our hands off a situation we've been trying to control. It's accepting that we cannot make everything work out the way we want. It's understanding that surrender doesn't mean we've failed. It means we're choosing to trust God instead of depending entirely on ourselves.

In John 2:5, Mary told the servants at the wedding in Cana, "Whatever He says to you, do it." (NKJV)

That's it. No long explanation. No instructions to negotiate. Just do whatever Jesus tells you.

When Jesus told the servants to fill the waterpots with water, they did it. They didn't know how everything was going to turn out, but they followed His instructions. The water becoming wine wasn't their responsibility. Their responsibility was obedience.

And I think we need that reminder sometimes.

We spend so much energy trying to figure out the outcome that we forget our responsibility is to follow God's direction. We're trying to make things happen, hold things together, and control situations that may not even be ours to handle.

And let me say this. Not every difficult situation means God is telling you to walk away, and not every delay means you've done something wrong. Sometimes we're supposed to stand firm, keep praying, and remain faithful while things unfold. That's why we need a relationship with God, time in His Word, and wisdom to recognize the difference.

But when you know you've been holding on to something simply because it's what you want, that's worth examining.

I wonder how many of us are asking God to open another door while we're still gripping the handle of one He's been telling us to release.

We want a fresh start, but we keep returning to the familiar. We ask for peace, but we won't take our hands off the very thing we're trying to control. We say we're surrendering everything to God, but we've got a few things tucked away that we're not quite ready to give Him.

And here's the thing about a security blanket. It may make us feel comfortable, but that doesn't mean it's where our security belongs.

Our security is in God, not in our ability to keep everything together.

Sometimes we're so afraid of what might happen if we let go that we don't consider what holding on is doing to us.

So maybe today isn't about asking God for another instruction. Maybe it's about sitting quietly and thinking about the instructions He's already given you.

What have you been putting off? What are you trying to control? What are you holding on to because you want it, even though deep down you know it's time to release your grip?

And if you're uncertain about what God wants, spend time seeking Him rather than assuming every thought or feeling is His direction.

But if you already know what you need to do, why keep putting it off?

You don't need to figure everything out today. You don't have to know what comes next or how everything will work out. You just need to be willing to take that first step, even if that step is taking your hands off something.

Because sometimes we're asking God to move when He's waiting for us to do what He's already instructed.

And sometimes that instruction is simply, "Let it go."

A Little Tonyelle Truth for the Road

Before you ask God what's next, ask yourself what He told you to do first. Have you done it, or are you still trying to negotiate your way around it?

And remember, everything you want isn't necessarily something God told you to hold on to.

Sometimes the first step of obedience isn't moving forward. It's releasing your grip on something you were never instructed to carry.

Take your hands off it. Let God be God.

Let's Pray About It

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your patience with us, even when we struggle to follow Your instructions. Forgive us for the times we've allowed our own desires, fears, and expectations to get in the way of our obedience.

Lord, help us recognize when we're holding on to something You never instructed us to carry. Give us the wisdom to know when to move, when to wait, and when to let go. Teach us to trust You even when Your direction doesn't line up with what we want.

Help us release our need to control every situation and remind us that our security is found in You, not in the things we're afraid to lose.

Father, give us the courage to do first things first, even when it's uncomfortable. Strengthen our faith, guide our steps, and help us be obedient to Your Word.

In Jesus' name, Amen.