What Is Involved in Obeying God?
To obey the Lord requires getting His perspective on our life every day. That means being renewed in our thinking (Rom. 12:2) so our attitude and actions honor Him. It also means being reminded of who we are apart from Him and who we are with Him (John 15:5; Phil. 4:13).
Once we have His perspective, it can require courage to obey—we might have to give up things we like in order to do what He asks. In addition, we must be determined to follow Him, even if doing so could bring unwelcome results. It can take courage to rearrange our schedule to match His plan, to love the unlovely, to forgive the seemingly unforgivable, and to give when we want to keep. But courage isn’t something we need to somehow produce on our own; it grows out of a deepening faith in the Lord.
As we get to know the Father better, our confidence in Him increases, and obedience becomes easier. If we know the God who gave the commands, then we’ll be able to trust that His plans are for our good and His glory. We will rely on the Holy Spirit, who helps us understand and follow divine commands. With eyes fixed upon Jesus instead of our circumstances, we will step forward boldly. We won’t fear the consequences that may arise from our actions but will look for the blessings God desires to bestow.
Obedience involves knowing God’s commands and then committing to obey, even if there’s temptation to compromise. Furthermore, it means drawing courage from our trust in the Lord and accepting the consequences as God-sent. Pray that obedience will mark your life.
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