One thing that sometimes makes me cringe is hearing others talk about the things they are “going to do for God.” Sometimes that phrase is just misspeaking a bit, but sometimes it is exactly what is meant. But God never actually called us to do things “for” him.

I see two sources of danger in doing things for God. The first is very simply that we humans are prone to get it wrong. A huge example of that is the Crusades, but we do the same in small ways on a regular basis. Oswald Chambers described it this way: “We show our ignorance of Him in the very way we decide to serve Him. We serve Jesus in a spirit that is not His, and hurt Him by our defense of Him” (My Utmost for His Highest). Every time we defend the Gospel in a hateful spirit, every time we denounce the sinner instead of the sin, every time we water down the gospel message in order to get people in the doors of the church, we act “for” God in a way that is not helpful and is often harmful to the cause of Christ.

Not all actions taken for Christ are actually in opposition to him, of course. The person who doesn’t particularly like young children but takes on the 4-year-old Sunday School class because somebody has to do it and genuinely does the best she can may be doing more good than harm, at least on the surface. But if that decision was a response to a human plea acted on in her own strength rather than an acceptance of spiritual heart tug acted on in full reliance on God to provide the patience, strength, and cheerfulness required, it was still the wrong decision.

1. If she wasn’t the person called to this task, she is keeping the person who was called from taking it on.
2. If this is not the task she was called for, she is either leaving the task she is called to undone or doing more than she can handle.
3. If she is acting for God in her own strength, she will eventually burn out.

God calls us to his side to walk with him. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10 (ESV). Yes, we are to do good works, but we walk in the works that God already prepared for us, and we do it in his strength.

I think we tend to believe that God needs us, whether to defend him against unbelievers or to do the things he needs done. He doesn’t need us. He loves us. He wants us. He gives us valuable work to do with him. But he never, ever needs for a human to do something for him. That is why “the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him,” Proverbs 15:8 (ESV). The purpose of the sacrifice was always for the good of the one making it; God never needed it.

So next time you want to do something for God, whether big or small, take a step back and make sure than you aren’t doing it for God, but that you are instead walking with him.