How many of us have a time in our lives when we are feeling stuck? We feel like when is God going to take this burden from me? It’s in these times when we need to stop and look at what we are doing or not doing.
In John 16:12-15 Jesus says, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. What stops the Holy Spirit from coming to live in us is when we are not obedient to God’s Word or His ways. Living in this world can be difficult to hear God’s Word let alone obey it. Our world pulls us in a totally different direction because it thrives on chaos, dysfunction, hostility, and anguish. There’s no peace in that. There’s no sense in any of it, but when we slow down and trust, obey and believe that God is bigger than any problem, sickness, financial difficulty, or pain that we may have in this world, we can see God’s love for us through obeying his Word.
I remember when a friend of mine kept popping into my mind. I thought I really should call and check on her. I knew she had health issues, but last I talked to her she was doing really well. I kind of let it go, but each day it got stronger and stronger, to the point I couldn't ignore it anymore. So, I called her, and when she heard my voice, she said something I wasn’t expecting or will I ever forget. She said, “You always seem to know when I need you.” I had nothing to do with it; God put her on my heart for a reason. I kept pushing it off till I couldn’t ignore it anymore. When God asks us to do something it’s never for harm, it’s always for good. It could be to reach out to a friend or someone who we don’t know that needs our help or to lead us to our purpose in life.
Being obedient to God isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth the journey. There are so many stories in the Bible that talk about obedience. Mary (mother of Jesus) had to be obedient, as well as Moses and even Naaman just to name a few. Mary would have never had Jesus who died for our sins if she hadn’t been obedient to God; Moses would have never written the Ten Commandments and gotten the Israelites to the Promised Land, and Naaman would have never been healed had he not obeyed what Elisha told him to do through God.
There may come a time in your life, when you are faced with a decision to join a group, make a stand or be a friend to someone that needs your help. As His church, we are called to be disciples of Jesus, to be His hands and feet, touching people’s lives just like Jesus did. Whether you are young or older, you can make a huge difference in people’s lives. So, the next time you’re asked to be a part of something that you’re just not sure about, listen to that still small voice deep down inside and if it lines up with the Word of God, obey and watch God move in your life.
Let's pray:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your word that it guides us and helps to know your will better. Thank you Lord, that the lessons we learn each day bring us closer to you. As we learn obedience Lord, we learn the directions to go in our lives and what our purpose is. Thank you for that still small voice that we can follow and know that you love us. In Jesus Holy name we pray. Amen.
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