How Do We Do What Is Right?

Doing What's Right When It's Hard: A Lent Devotional on Deuteronomy 6:18 & the Holy Spirit's Guidance

As we move deeper into Lent—that sacred 40-day stretch that mirrors Jesus’ own time in the wilderness—I keep coming back to one verse that feels both simple and impossible:

“Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight…” (Deuteronomy 6:18)

I want to live this way. But half the time I’m not even sure what “right” looks like in the moment. The world whispers, “There are no absolutes—just do what feels good.” Yet God draws a clear line. And Lent is the perfect season to let the Holy Spirit redraw that line in our own hearts.

Matthew Henry says “right” in this verse means having no impurity or mixture of sin—pure, undivided obedience. No half-measures. No “I’ll obey… but only when it’s easy.”

Let’s get real for a second.

• You know you should put the phone down and pray instead of scrolling one more reel… but Instagram wins.

• Your coworker spreads gossip in the breakroom… do you laugh along or quietly walk away?

• That family member pushes every button… do you snap back or choose the harder road of grace?

These are the exact moments Deuteronomy 6:18 is talking about. And these are the exact moments Lent trains us for.

Lent is our wilderness training ground. We fast from something (coffee, sugar, social media, negativity) not because those things are sinful, but because they show us how quickly we reach for the “easy” instead of the right. In that emptiness, the Holy Spirit speaks loudest (John 16:8). He convicts. He comforts. He gives us strength to choose purity over popularity.

Romans 12:2 has become my Lent prayer: “Do not conform… but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Every morning spent in the Word is like watering a plant that’s been thirsty all year. Relationships grow when you invest time—our relationship with God is no different.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us not to grow weary. Some “right” choices won’t show fruit for years. But God’s Word never returns void. Harvest comes in due season.

James 1:19-20 keeps me humble: When I think I’m right and someone else is wrong, I can come across angry or judgmental. But “human anger does not produce the righteousness of God.” Lent teaches me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. Real relationships (and real influence) are built in that listening space.

Psalm 19:9 says the fear of the Lord is pure and endures forever. Jesus is the Truth. If we want to do right, we obey Him—no exceptions.

James 4:8 whispers the invitation of the whole Lenten season: “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

So friend, I’ll ask you the questions I’m asking myself this Lent:

• Have you ever grown weary of doing what is right? What helps you persevere?

• When the Holy Spirit convicts you (that quiet nudge you can’t ignore), do you listen?

• Have you ever used anger, thinking it was “passion,” only to realize it pushed people further from God?

This Lent, let’s commit together: Daily time in God’s Word + prayer. No more mixture. No more compromise. Just pure, Holy-Spirit-empowered obedience.

The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. We can do what’s right—even when it’s hard.

You’re not alone in this wilderness. Let’s walk it together.

Would love to hear in the comments: What is one “right but hard” thing the Holy Spirit is asking you to do this Lent?

Anna