Her Faith Thrives

Are you obeying God?  That question can be simultaneously sobering and angering.  There is a part of me that does not want to submit my will to the wishes of anyone but myself. There is another part that recognizes that I want to follow God and obedience is a key component of that. I would prefer to think of obedience as knowledge or good sentiment, but the Bible is incredibly practical. The bottom line is we are either doing what God wants us to do or we are not.

Jesus has a revealing conversation about obedience with His disciples in John 14:15-31.  What is interesting is the tone of this passage and the motivation for obedience. If I was in Jesus’ shoes, knowing I was going to die for mankind, I would have demanded obedience because I deserved it! I would tell the disciples (and anyone who would listen) how sinful and wretched they were and how that would result in an unimaginable sacrifice. In other words, Jesus could have (rightly) guilted all his followers into obedience BUT He chose a different approach.  Jesus invites us into a love filled relationship with the triune God through obedience.  In this passage He says:

•  Obedience to God is motivated by love for God. (V15, 21, 23)
• God gives us the Holy Spirit as a counselor to help us know what is true and walk in obedience (V16, 25)
• God chooses to reveal Himself to us as we obey Him (V21)
• Jesus led the way in demonstrating obedience by dying on a cross in obedience to God the Father (V31)

I have had my struggles with obeying God at various times, but none stands out like the first few weeks of my marriage. In those first weeks, we were settling into what living together looked like and had the obligatory first few disagreements. Some more trivial than others. It was so tempting to just assume that we could live separate lives in some areas instead of having to do the hard work to be on the same page. The moment of reckoning for me came when we had to make joint decisions despite our different opinions. 

God’s command to wives in scripture is clear “Submit to your husbands as unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:22).  This command has been abused in Christian circles so my mentioning it here may have made you bristle. Let me take some time to unpack it.  Wives are not called to passively affirm that their husbands are always right or have no sin, nor are they called to stay in clearly unsafe and harmful situations.  What they are called to do is recognize that God has put a protective headship over them that is an extension of his protective leadership and unlike in their singleness, He will many times lead and direct the wife through the leadership of her husband.  We serve a good God whose plans for our lives are designed to give us hope and a future (Jer29:11). He is the one who determined that if wives live according to His design for marriage in this way then they will attain to the abundant blessings He has stored up for them in marriage.  Although I knew this truth it was so hard to live out when the opportunity presented itself. Would I obey God and submit to the leadership of my husband or would I insist on doing things my own way?

Pretty soon after I started my new job at a new clinic, I knew I had bitten off more than I could swallow.  I was working too much and despite liking my job, I was stressed and tired a lot of the time. Things came to a tipping point and I seriously considered whether this job was the right fit for me.  I tried to dismiss the thoughts at first until my husband started to point out that I was doing poorly handling everything and something needed to change.  We tried to modify how our home ran but it wasn’t enough.

Soon the discussion became whether or not I should keep the job as is, request a change, or quit and find something else.  I had no peace or direction with any of these options.  I spent time in God’s word and prayed and still nothing was clear.  At one point I found enough courage to ask my husband what he thought.  He was courageous enough to give me an answer I didn’t want to hear. He told me that I needed to ask for a less demanding position or quit. There it was, his direction, clear as day.  I would like to say I immediately heeded his words of wisdom, but these options didn’t sit well with me. I felt like I was failing because I was unable to cope with something that plenty of others in a similar set of circumstances did just fine with.

Eventually I prayed about the two options my husband suggested and suddenly the path became clearer. My obedience to God’s command to submit to my husband’s leadership unlocked what I previously could not discern. I got some ideas of what a less demanding position may look like and even an opening to talk to my supervisors about it. They were very willing to consider it and, in a few months, I transitioned to a less demanding position with subsequent improvement in my home life.

Can you relate?  Is there an area where God has given you the next step, but you are unwilling to consider it because it does not match your expectations?  If so, may I encourage you to do what God is asking you to do.  When you do, trust Him with the outcome. He may provide the direction that has seemed elusive for a long time or set you free in ways you didn’t know you needed.  He may lead you on a difficult path of repentance but in the end the freedom you experience will be worth it.  

Reflection questions

1. Growth: What act of obedience have you been putting off? Is there something you have been praying about that seems stagnant? Ask God to show you if there are any steps of obedience that you have ignored and then take them.
2. Connection: Share your step of obedience with someone this week.
3. Gratitude: What can you be thankful for in the situation that requires obedience? List 2-3 things.

For Further Encouragement

Were you encouraged by this blog post? I would love to connect with you on our special Her Faith Thrives Newsletter which goes out every other month. In each newsletter, I share a short reflection about how I’m growing in my faith during this season of life. Plus, I’ll be sending you some fantastic resources to inspire and guide you on your own faith journey. When you subscribe, you will receive my all-time favorite tool for making your Daily Quiet Time truly meaningful. It’s called “From Routine to Reverence: 3 Simple Steps to a Deeper Daily Quiet Time.” I can’t wait to hear how it helps you deepen your time in God’s Word.