As I know I’ve written on both these topics of trust and obedience many times over the years, I decided to search my archives. Nothing with this topic.
However, I did find instances of my trust and obedience or lack of trust and obedience.
Let me share one such example of my disobedience that I came across. I had made plans to go some place I had no business going. As I was getting ready, as clear as day, I heard a voice telling me ‘don’t go’. I looked around to see who could have said it – and of course, I knew no one else could have because I was alone.
I rationalized that all the plans had been made. The tickets paid for and it would be a waste if I didn’t go.
Can I tell you I should have just allowed everything to go to waste?
That disobedience cost me. A lot and for a long time.
I knew it wasn’t something I would have told myself – and yet, even if I didn’t know God’s voice at the time, those directives could not have been any clearer.
But thank God for His grace. Some years later, He redeemed me and sent me back to that same place to make a presentation, and I was even given a state award for my service.
I think of the converse of this example with Jonah. While my directive was ‘don’t go’, his directive was ‘go’ and he wanted no part of that. He didn’t think the people deserved God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.
We know he ended up going – even reluctantly, and the town of Nineveh was saved. Jonah, however, still hardened his heart towards what God had directed him to do, and in the end, we see that he was not pleased with the outcome.
Can I pause here and say ‘I’m glad God is not like man, nor does He hold grudges like man?’
Over the years I’ve learned a few things. If we don’t trust God, it will be hard to obey.
Trust and obedience are two actions that go hand in hand. The more I trust God, the more likely it will be that I will be obedient. And if I were to be completely honest, sometimes it takes the deepest levels of trust to exercise the level of obedience, especially when the circumstances don’t seem to make sense, and seemingly continue not to make sense.
I’ve asked God on more occasions than I care to admit ‘have I lost my mind?’, but, it’s often when we look back, that I can see how God was leading the way.
Friends, will you trust God so that when He asks you to obey in both the small things, and the far fetched things, that you will move forward in faith?
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that you forgive us, even in our folly – even if we have to suffer the consequences of our actions. Would you help us to both trust you and to obey the ways you lead and direct us?