The Next Right Thing

In the movie Frozen 2, the idea of “doing the next right thing” is a recurring theme, even meriting its own song. I’ll admit that song makes me cry harder than anything else in the movie. I’m not trying to argue the merits of the movie itself or promote pop culture, but this idea, this theme, has been on my mind for months. The idea seemed so Biblical, yet where does one find a verse that says that?

 

Hebrews 11:7-10, 17-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.  By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as a stranger in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God…By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son; it was he to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your descendants shall be named.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

 

I have seen this idea of doing the next right thing pop up in the Bible in a couple different ways through my study of Genesis recently. Really, doing the next right thing is walking in faith and obedience. It is going ahead with the step in front of us even though we can’t see the top of the stairs. It is following God’s will and plan even when it doesn’t make sense. It is trusting God’s sovereignty and goodness no matter what is happening.

 

Noah was told to build an ark to preserve all land-dwelling life because a flood was coming. The people of his time had never seen rain, let alone a flood. Yet he stepped forward in obedience and did the next right thing. I’m sure it seemed absurd, and may have been hard to continue in the face of the obvious mocking they likely received. He couldn’t see what was going to happen, or how. He didn’t understand what it would look like; he just did what was in front of him.

 

Abraham was called by God out of the land where he grew up to go someplace he had never been, possibly never even heard of. God didn’t even tell him where he was going, He just said to leave. So he did. He left his home and everything and everyone and set out for some unknown destination, trusting God to lead him.

 

Abraham also obeyed God in offering his son whom God had promised to him to be his heir and the seed of promise. This idea in itself seems ridiculous. Why would he kill his son, the one promised now that he finally had him, the one that was supposed to be the father of great nations? How does that make sense? Abraham didn’t know that there would be a ram caught in the bushes when they got there. He couldn’t see the end of the story like we can. He moved forward doing the next right thing, taking the next step in obedience.

 

1 Peter 2:24-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (emphasis added)

and He Himself brought our sins in His body up on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Romans 6:13, 16-19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God…Do you not know that the one to whom you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of that same one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were entrusted, and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented the parts of your body as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your body’s parts as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

 

Doing the next right thing can also be an opportunity God gives us when we mess up to return to the path of obedience. Abraham messed up and lied to Abimelech, the king. God kept the sin from going further and gave Abraham the chance to rectify the situation. Abimelech was warned that great harm would come to them so he turned to Abraham. If Abraham prayed for them, all would be well. Abraham had been caught in his lie and probably feared retribution from the king. He could have tried to cover it up or run, but instead he did the next right thing and moved back to the path of obedience. He admitted his wrong and prayed for Abimelech. God graciously gave him the chance to do the next right thing.

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

 

In life we don’t usually see the end. Sometimes we think we do and then life makes some crazy turns that leave us feeling nauseous. What do we do when we can’t see the finish line, when we don’t know how it will all turn out? We do the next right thing. We step out in faith and obedience and leave the results up to God.

 

In what area are you uncertain? Are you wondering what to do or where to go? Trust God to lead you. Take the next step, the one just in front of you, and leave the rest to God. Trust Him to lead you to the right one.

 

Maybe you’ve messed up. Maybe you have strayed so far you don’t know how to get back. Take a step back to obedience. Repent, ask God to forgive you, and ask Him to show you how to return. It may take some time. It may be painful. But we are never more right than when we are walking in obedience, no matter where our starting point is.

 

Take the step of faith and obedience. Do the next right thing.