How Do You Actually Follow God?
One of the central themes in this week's Torah portion, Re'eh—a Hebrew word meaning "see" or "look"—is the concept of the false prophet.
The Torah teaches that someone may come in the name of God, perform signs or even miracles, and claim to speak with divine authority. But if that person then says, "Let us serve other gods," or encourages idolatry or anything that contradicts God's commandments, we immediately know that this person is a false prophet.
Why? Because God's truth never contradicts God's own Torah.
The Torah then gives a powerful instruction:
"You shall follow the Lord your God."
At first glance, this seems straightforward. Following God means obeying His commandments. For the Jewish people, this includes the 613 mitzvot. For non-Jews, it means faithfully observing the Seven Noahide Commandments and their practical applications.
But perhaps there is an even deeper meaning hidden within these words.
What Does It Mean to Follow God?
The Torah speaks as though God is walking before us and we are invited to follow Him. Of course, this is not meant literally. Instead, it points to something much more profound: living in such a way that we become deeply connected to God.
How can we do that?
One way to understand this is by looking at the world as it exists after the sin of Adam and Eve. Since humanity's first act of disobedience, creation has become a mixture of good and evil. Every object, every experience, and every situation contains elements of both.
Our task is to learn to reject what is evil and embrace what is good.
Looking for the Divine Spark
God directs the steps of every person. This means that wherever we find ourselves, there is an opportunity to discover something of Him.
Every circumstance—even the most difficult one—contains a hidden purpose.
Often, we only recognize that purpose after we have endured the challenge. Looking back, we begin to understand why we experienced it and how it contributed to our personal or spiritual growth.
Following God, then, is more than simply keeping commandments. It is learning to ask:
- Why has God placed me in this situation?
- What is He teaching me?
- How can I grow through this experience?
- How can I use this moment to serve Him?
These questions help us discover the divine spark hidden within every circumstance.
Seeing Beyond the Surface
Even the most painful situations can contain opportunities for growth, wisdom, compassion, or deeper faith.
Likewise, even life's pleasant experiences contain a challenge. Physical pleasure itself can easily become the focus, distracting us from the higher purpose behind God's gifts.
Take food, for example.
Food certainly brings enjoyment, but its deepest purpose is not simply pleasure. It provides the strength and energy we need to live meaningful lives, serve God, and fulfill His commandments. When we recognize that higher purpose, we elevate something ordinary into something spiritual.
The same principle applies to every area of life.
Trusting God's Direction
Sometimes we encounter suffering or unexpected hardships. In those moments we naturally ask, "Why is this happening?"
While we may not always receive immediate answers, faith invites us to believe that God has not abandoned us. He may be teaching us something, shaping our character, or preparing us to help someone else who will one day face a similar struggle.
Following God means trusting that He guides our steps, even when we cannot yet see where the path leads.
It means looking beyond appearances and asking what God wants to accomplish through every encounter, every blessing, and every challenge.
A Daily Practice
To follow God is not only to obey His commandments, important as that is. It is also to cultivate spiritual vision—to look beneath the surface of every situation and search for God's purpose within it.
Every day presents new opportunities to ask:
- What is God showing me today?
- Where is the good hidden within this challenge?
- How can I respond in a way that brings me closer to Him?
When we begin to live with these questions, we discover that following God is not merely a destination. It is a way of seeing the world.
And as we learn to recognize His presence in every circumstance, we walk ever more closely with Him.