I am a checklist person through and through. Nothing pleases me more than crossing off a completed task. It makes me feel like I’ve conquered the day with productivity. But when I fail to plan my day, I feel more like Dory—aimlessly swimming through the sea. While lists can help steer our ship, they can also steal our joy, imposing themselves as rigid rules we feel obligated to follow. The same can be true in our Christian walk when we focus more on the law than on our relationship with the Lord.
Recently, a group of us met to discuss The Will of God by Charles Stanley. The book is filled with deep and thought-provoking insights on discerning God’s purpose for our lives. During our discussion, one of the ladies said, “I just wish there was a checklist we could follow because there’s too much to absorb.” I completely related to her sentiment, as I had also started mentally numbering the principles he outlined—1, 2, and so on.
But God’s plan isn’t structured with neat bullet points and color-coded markers outlining our tasks. Instead, He calls us to align our hearts with His will. He gives us freedom, free will, and the desire to pursue Him. He wants us to actively walk with Him each day.
As I was listening to a Christian meditation titled Walking by the Spirit, the guide prompted me to reflect on Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” I believe God’s will is found in the balance—between legalism and liberalism, between rigid rules and unchecked desires.
I often wonder: Am I on the right path, or have I unknowingly swerved off course? If only God had a neon sign with a step-by-step guide to point me in the right direction! It’s easy to get caught up in either following the law or my own desires, and in doing so, I can fail to truly hear and follow His voice. This tug-of-war keeps me from walking in sync with the Spirit.
As Christ-followers, we sometimes overcomplicate our faith, turning it into a checklist of religious duties. This mindset shifts our focus from Jesus—who desires a relationship with us—to the works we believe we must accomplish. This is exactly why the Pharisees failed to recognize Jesus in the flesh; they were too consumed with catching Him breaking the law.
Christ came to free us from bondage to the law. Through His sacrifice on the cross, we are saved by grace. There is nothing we can do to earn God’s mercy. Our role is simply to invite Jesus into our lives, lay our sins at His feet, and follow His leading. When we walk with the Spirit, our lives begin to reflect Him more and the world less.
When we become too focused on rules or the steps we think we must take to be “ready” for God’s will, we risk missing the joy and peace He freely offers. The Spirit of God will never contradict His law. God is always good, and Scripture provides us with the clarity to know whether our choices align with His will.
Galatians gives us a clearer understanding of what it means to walk in the Spirit versus living according to the flesh. The works of the flesh include sexual immorality, jealousy, envy, and divisions, while the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, and gentleness (see Galatians 5:18-26). When we give our lives to Christ, we are no longer bound by the law, yet everything about the Spirit aligns with God’s righteousness. Therefore, we are called to leave behind both legalism and lawlessness to walk in step with the Spirit.
Walking requires action. The Greek word peripateo means “to walk, to make one’s way, to progress, to make use of opportunities.” To walk in the Spirit means taking actionable steps each day—moving closer to Christ and farther from the world.
Romans 13:13 (AMP) states: “But I say, walk habitually in the (Holy) Spirit (seek Him and be responsive to His guidance), and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature (which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts).”
May we choose to seek to walk by the Spirit daily, not relying on checklists but on a deep, abiding relationship with Jesus.
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